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NOV 15 188^ 



Life, 



IVarfare, 

& Victory. 



D. W. WHITTLE, 



AUTHOR OF 



'MEMOIR OF P. P. BLISS," "SOUL-WINNING," ETC. 




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CHICAGO: 
F. H. Revell, 148 & 150 Madison St. 

Publisher of EvANGELiCAii Literature. 



^5^ 




Copyrighted, 1884, by F. H. Revell. 



PREFACE. 




HIS book has been prepared in the midst of 
Evangelistic work, to meet the wish often 
expressed to the writer — that instruction 
given in Bible Readings to young Converts 
might be made available for their more careful study 
and permanent use. 

It is dedicated by the Author to those to whom 
he has preached Christ, in Great Britain as well as 
in America; as a token of his continued love for 
them and interest in their welfare : and is sent forth 
with the earnest prayer that the Holy Ghost may bless 
the study of the Scriptures it presents to them, and to all 
readers, for their spiritual growth and profit, and for the 
glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. To Him alone belongs 
all the praise for spiritual life and light, in both writer 
and reader, for "we are not sufficient of ourselves to 
think anything as of ourselves ; " and " the things of 
God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God." 

If the Spirit of God be honoured and recognized as 
the Teacher, the Son of God will be revealed and mag- 
nified, and God the Father will delight to bless to the 
reader all of His own Word that shall be found herein. 



LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 



CHAPTER L 

LIFE. 

" He . . . Cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto 
the world." — John vi. 33. 

^^^S||HE commencement of the Christian life is — 

'miS^i Life : life imparted from God through Jesus 

l^^^tei Christ. " As many as received Him, to 

^=^'^^^=^^^'^=^ them gave He power to become the sons of 

God, even to them that believe on His name; which 

were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor 

of the will of man, but of God " (John i. 12, 13). " This 

is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only 

true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent" 

(John xvii. 3). "And this is the record, that God hath 

given to us eternal life ; and this life is in His Son. He 

that hath the Son hath life ; and he that hath not the 

Son of God hath not life " (i John v. 11, 12). 

It is vain to expect fruit unless the seed containing 
the fruit in germ has been really sown, and has taken 
root. It would be folly to look for anything but crab- 
apples from a crab-apple tree, if no better fruit had been 

I 



2 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

grafted in upon its stem. So, it is useless to exhort a 
piety that does not exist, and fruitless to teach an 
unregenerate man to cultivate an unrenewed heart. 

"That which is born of the flesh is flesh ; and that 
which is born of the Spirit is spirit" (John iii. 6\ 
Spiritual things may be imitated by, but cannot be pro- 
duced from, the flesh. So at the very outset, in dealing 
with the subject of the soul's warfare, the question must 
be pressed home : " Have you been born again ? " The 
spiritual difficulties of most professing Christians com- 
mence right here. They have not started right. The 
Gospel has not been clearly apprehended. Sincere in 
their desire to be Christians, believing the truths of the 
Bible, and more or less instructed in theology, they have 
given their public assent to these truths, made open pro- 
fession of faith in Christ, and continued in the perform- 
ance of religious duties, waiting for an inward evidence 
of their divine renewal, which has never come. 

Now to all such the word must necessarily be. Halt! 
Go no further until this question is settled. Let us not 
consider the duties of the Christian life — its dangers or 
its delights — until we have the life. That it is the will 
of God that we should have life, is shown by the words 
of our Saviour, " And this is the will of Him that sent 
Me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth 
on Him, should have everlasting life: and I will raise 
him up at the last day" (John vi. 40). And that it is 
the will of God that those who believe should knoiv that 
they have everlasting life — is as clearly shown by the 
words, " These things have I written unto you that be- 
lieve on the name of the Son of God ; that yc may knoiv 
that ye have eternal life" (i John v. 13). So from the 



LIFE. 5 

Word of God itself it is made manifest, and would seem 
to go without saying, that I must know myself as a child of 
God, before I shall live as a child of God. Educating 
me to live like a child of God will not make me a child 
of God. It will only be an imitation, and must 
necessarily result in failure. The sooner those who are 
engaged in this imitation of Christian life in outward 
conduct, without real life in their souls, are brought to 
the knowledge of this, and realize that all in the past has 
been, and that all in the future will be, failure, upon that 
line — the sooner will their souls be brought to Him who is 
the Saviour of real sinners, helpless to save themselves. 

There are many illustrations in the Bible of the 
failure of all imitations of the life of faith. Saul the 
son of Kish, Israel's first king, forms a notable example. 
He was continually blundering in trying to act like a man 
of faith, but without possessing real faith. He evidently 
knew the Bible of his day ; and had been instructed from 
it by Samuel, of God's dealings with Israel under 
Moses, Joshua, and the Judges (i Sam. xii.) So in his 
difficulties he tries to do what men of God had done 
before him — but never in the same spirit, or with the 
same results. In i Sam. xiii. 12 the Philistines are 
surrounding him. He evidently remembers Samuel's 
offering sacrifice and making prayer to God in a similar 
situation, as recorded in the seventh chapter ; and 
although commanded by God in such circumstances to 
wait for the prophet, who would reveal God's will — he 
imitated Samuel, and offered sacrifice and made prayer. 
It was a mere outward form, an act of disobedience; of 
which, if he had been a man of faith he could not have 
been guilty ; and disaster attended it. In i Sam. xiv. 18, 



4 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

remembering what the presence of the ark had been 
with Joshua at Jericho, he hastily commands the Priest 
to bring the ark : in the 19th verse, he as hastily 
leaves Ark, Priest, and all^ and goes out to the battle 
without any message from God ; and in the 24th verse 
blunders into another imitation of Joshua at Gibeon^ 
by forbidding the people to eat food that day. He was 
disobeyed by his own son, and caused the people to sin 
by their eating blood. In the 35th verse, in imitation of 
Gideon, he makes an altar ; but no answer from God 
comes at this altar. In the 39th verse, in imitation of 
Jephthah, he vows that Jonathan his son shall die ; but 
the people will not allow Jonathan to be put to death, 
and the vow is broken. In the 41st verse, without com- 
mand from God, he again imitates Joshua — who, by 
command of God, detected Achan by the lot — in ordering 
the lot between himself and Jonathan. So he blundered 
along, at times showing much courage and sincerity of 
purpose ; yet. an Esau-man, a fine specimen of the flesh, 
but without the faith of the living God to guide him. 
His life of many failures closes with the creeping through 
the hut of the Witch of Endor to a self-inflicted death 
upon the battle-field of Gilboa. "Without faith it is im- 
possible to please Him ; for he that cometh to God 
must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of 
them that diligently seek Him" (Heb. xi. 6). 

Saul was anointed and instructed by a prophet of 
God, and was specially loved and prayed for by that 
prophet. He prayed, and prophesied, and engaged in 
the service of God ; and at times with enthusiasm and 
courage. Yet, he was a man without faith, and did not 
please God. " So then they that are in the flesh cannot 



LIFE, 5 

please God " (Rom. viii. 8). These are solemn words ; and 
the example given is a solemn illustration of them. 

Most prayerfully and earnestly would the writer 
entreat all who may read these words to carefully ponder 
the testimony of God's Word in the chapter following, as 
to how we are born again, and what the evidences are 
that this New Birth has been experienced. 



CHAPTER II. 




DEATH BEFORE LIFE. ^ 
"From death to life."— John v. 24 ; i John iii. 14. 

ILL the reader open his or her Bible at the 
Epistle to the Galatians, and carefully study 
some of the evidences there in a simple 
manner presented, as to how these Galatian 
Christians, to whom Paul had preached the Gospel, had 
been born again and made children of God. First, 
notice the third chapter, first and second verses. Four 
personalities are brought out : Jesus Christ, crucified ; 
the Spirit of God imparted ; Paul, the preacher o 
Christ ; foolish Galatians, who had believed and rejoiced 
in believing, but were now being bewitched by legalists, 
who were getting their attention off from Christ. The 
point of connection between the Galatians and the 
truth preached, by which they received the Spirit, is 
emphasized in the simple words, " THE HEARING OF 
FAITH." Will the reader pause here, and ask what this 
means. . Give a definition of it to your own mind 
without looking down the page. Put your hand over 
what follows until you think for yourself what the 
words " the heai'hig of faith " mean. 

You have probably arrived at the same definition 



8 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

that would be ordinarily given — that it is, just believing 
what you hear. Precisely so. It is the accepting as 
facts the statements of God's Word about oneself as a 
sinner, and about Christ as my Saviour. " Faith cometh 
by hearing ; and hearing by the Word of God'' 
(Rom. X. 17). This is a very important verse. Does 
the reader see its meaning ? Faith does not come by 
feeling, but by hearing; and that hearing is not to be the 
hearing of man, be he the wisest and most eloquent 
that ever lived, but the hearing of the Word of God. 
The man is of use only as he preaches the Word, as 
did Paul at Galatia ; the essence of the Word being now, 
as then, JESUS CHRIST crucified. Faith is not a 
feeling ; and feeling is not faith, and is not to be waited 
for before exercising faith. Faith is the trust of the 
mind or heart in a person, and is ordinarily brought into 
exercise by believing the words of that person. So 
John V. 24, "He that heareth my word, and believeth 
on Him that sent Me." (See also i Peter i. 25 ; John 
i. 12 ; James i. J 8.) Following on now in Galatians, the 
attention of the reader is called to the opening up of 
the manner in which Paul preached Christ crucified, as 
developed from the loth to 14th verses, inclusive, of the 
third chapter. 

Some time ago, at an inquiry meeting, the writer 
met an inquirer who was brought into the light by a 
conversation over these verses ; and he has often since 
used that conversation, with the illustration in it 
elaborated to meet special difficulties, to help others to 
apprehend Christ. Trusting that the use of it now may 
be owned of God to the same end, he proposes to 
produce it here. The man was an intelligent mechanic 



DEATH BEFORE LIFE. 9 

in middle life. When asked if he was saved, his reply 
was, " No, I am not. I have been attending Gospel 
meetings for four weeks, and have been awakened to see 
that I am all wrong ; but I cannot get light. I do not 
know how to become a Christian. I want to be saved, 
and am willing to do anything ; but I do not know what 
to do." " Well, my friend," was the reply, " it is a great 
privilege to meet one in your state of mind, anxious 
about salvation, willing to be taught, and willing to yield 
to God. Now let us look for light where God has 
placed it — in His own Word. Will you read to me this 
verse (Gal. iii. 10)." A Bible open at the passage was 
placed in his hand ; and he read, 

" For as many as are of the works of the law are under the 
curse : for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not 
in all things which are written in the book of the law to do 
them ' 

He looked a little surprised that such a verse should 
be pointed out to him as showing the way of salvation. 
Like all w^ho seek salvation through Jesus Christ, he had 
first to see that he was lost^ and utterly lost^ before he 
could be saved \ he had to learn that it is really and 
truly out of death that we are brought into life. 

It is resurrection power that saves us ; and resur- 
rection power can only be shown where there is real 
death. So in the case of Lazarus, wherein the Son of God 
was to be glorified. Jesus tarried four days until 
Lazarus was dead ; not sick merely, but dead. Then 
He came to Bethany ; and resurrection power had the 
opportunity of manifestation. The dead one was made 
alive ; the Son of God was glorified ; and joy and 
gladness filled the home. Reader, is the blessing 



lo LIFE, WARFARE, ANFj VICTORY. 

delayed in coming to you, because the Lord is waiting 
for you to see yourself dead : not sick merely with sin, 
but dead — condemned already under the curse of the 
broken law and without a spark of the life of God in 
your soul ? There is one of two conditions for all : DEAD, 
or ALIVE. There is no middle ground. 

Some questions came up on Gal. iii. lo, with the 
man in the Inquiry Room. Let us listen to them : 

" What does ' works of the law ' mean ? " 

"Trying to keep the commandments of God." 

" Well, is a man cursed for trying to do that ? " 

" No ; but if he has chosen that as the way of 
salvation, and fails in keeping the commandments, then 
he is under the curse." 

" What is the curse of the law? " 

" Death, the penalty for disobedience. As in Ezek. 
xviii. 4, * The soul that sinneth it shall die ; ' and Rom. 
V. 12, 'Death by sin;' and Rom. vi. 23, ^The wages 
of sin is death.' " 

" Is every man who has not kept God's command- 
ments under that penalty ? " 

" What does the verse say ? " 

" Well, it reads thus : 

" * Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things 
which are written in the book of the law to do them.' " 

"Well, my friend, have you continued doing all 
things commanded you by God ? " 

" No, I have not ; and I am therefore under the curse. 
What can I do ? " 

" Well, what can you do \ Supposing you should 
make a solemn vow to-night that you never, as long as you 



DEATH BEFORE LIFE. 



II 



lived, would disobey God again ; but that from this time 
forward you would faithfully observe all His command- 
ments, and be perfectly pure in thought, deed, and life, 
before Him. Do you think you could keep such a vow, 
and never do a single wrong thing again?" 

" No," said the man, sadly ; " I don't think I could." 

" No ; and I don't think you could, either. And I am 
not going to ask you to make any such vow. But, 
supposing you did make it and did fulfil it, -would a 
perfect life in the future atone for the disobedience of 
the past, and satisfy the penalty already due ? '' 

" No, I don't think it would. If I owe my grocer 
twenty dollars on last year's account, my paying for all 
I get this year won't pay that." 

"Well, my friend, your condition is certainly a 
solemn one. You confess that you have sinned ; and the 
penalty for sin is death. It is not that you are going to 
be lost ; but you are lost. Our Saviour teaches this in 
John iii. i8, where He says, ' He that believeth not is 
condemned already' Do you see your position ? " 

" Yes, I do. I am under the curse. What must I do 
to be saved ? " 



" Under the Curse." Oh, solemn 
word ! 

Lost soul, its truth be heeding : 
From justice comes the dread award ; 

For mercy be thou pleading. 

••Under THE Curse." It must be so; 

If sin I have been sharing : 
God's wrath for sin I needs must 
know. 

The law must be unsparing. 



*' Under the Curse." A holy God 
Must give a law that's holy ; 

And justly then must keep His word, 
And punish sin most fully. 

" Under the Curse." Oh, fearful 
doom ! 
Oh, awful day that 's nearing, 
When God shall take the judgment 
throne, 
In Christ as Judge appearing. 



CHAPTER III. 




LIFE IMPARTED. 

" I am come that they might have life, and that they might 
have it more abundantly." — JOHN x. lo. 

E continue the record of the conversation with 

the man in the Inquiry Room. 

" The first thing in salvation must be to 

get deliverance from the curse of the law. 
" You can have no peace while uncertain as to your 
standing before God's law, in relation to the con- 
demnation you know to be justly your due. If there 
is the shadow of the curse hanging over you, you 
cannot pray to God with any sense of acceptance 
or with any faith. You cannot really love God while 
expecting His wrath ; and you cannot serve God accept- 
ably until you love Him. On the other hand, God 
cannot bestow His Spirit upon you while you are under 
the curse of His law. So that of necessity FORGIVENESS 
OF SIN must be the comrnencement of the Christian life. 
And this comes, and is synonymous in the Gospel, with 
deliverance from the curse. Now, as nothing that you 
can do can take away the curse, it is something that 
God has to do for you. And if He does it for you, your 
part is to accept what He has done. Do you see the 
two points — Salvation before service : and, that as you 
cannot save yourself, God must save you ? " 



LIFE IMPARTED. 13 

" I think I do. But how am I to accept of sal- 
vation ? " 

" By trusting Jesus Christ as your Saviour. This I 
want you to do by trusting His Word. Will you now 
please read Gal. iii. 13, the first part of the verse ; and 
with it you may read the 14th verse." 

The man read : — 

" Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being 
made a curse for us ; that the blessing of Abraham might 
come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ ; that we might 
receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." 

" Now, my friend, as you think of yourself as a sinner, 
and think of Christ's dying for you, and think of Him as 
loving you, with power and willingness to fully save 
you, are you, so far as you knotv your own heart, willing 
to surrender to Him, and accept Him as your Saviour 
and your Lord ? " 

"Yes, I am." 

" Well, thank God for that. Now, if accepting Christ 
means anything, it must mean that you will trust Him ; 
and your trust will be manifested in believing His words. 
Do you believe the statement made in Gal. iii. 13? 
Read it again, please." 

" Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being 
made a curse for us." 

« Do you believe it ? " " Yes, I do." 
" Are you redeemed ? " " No, I am not." 
" You are really willing to be saved, and are not 
consciously holding on to any sin you are unwilling to 
give up, and are willing to be Christ's, and accept 
Him ? " " Yes, I believe I am." 



14 LIFE^ WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

" Well then, once more : does not accepting Christ 
mean you will believe what He says ? Please read this 
in I John v. lo." 

" ' He that belie veth not God hath made Him a liar ; 
because he believeth not the record that God gave of His Son.' 

" You see from this that God is trusted by trusting 
His Word ; and that He is doubted by doubting His 
Word. Now will you believe in Christ, and take His 
word in Gal. lii. 13 as true for you ? " 

" I will ! " 

" Very well. Are you redeemed ? " 

" No, I really cannot say that I am. I do not feel 
that I am." 

" But, my friend, do you not see that the reason you do 
not feel that you are, is that you really have not yet be- 
lieved God's Word ? You do not look at the Word when 
I ask you if you are redeemed, but you look down into 
your feelings. Now God says that our hearts are 'deceitful 
above all things ; ' and your deceitful heart is never going 
to tell you that your sins are forgiven. And if it did tell 
you so you could not rely upon it. God tells us through 
His Word, not through our feelings, of our forgiveness, 
redemption, and salvation, on the ground of what Christ 
has done for us ; and we accept it by believing His Word 
against our feelings. When we believe, there will be the 
result of believing, as in i John v. 10 — 

" ' He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in 
himself.' 

" The believing comes first : and a man does not believe 
on the Son of God until, without feeling, he trusts His 
Word, because it is His Word, and not because he feels it. 
This trusting is the act of faith which unites the soul to 



LIFE IMPARTED, 15 

Christ, and will indeed be followed by the witness, but 
never preceded. You are shut right up, as every soul is 
that comes to God, to that act of faith without feeling. 
So you see here in Ephes. i. 13 — 

"'After that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy 
Spirit of promise/ etc. 

" The Spirit of God bears witness to us — first, as to 
our full salvation in Christ through the written Word. 
We must believe His witness there before He can do 
anything further for us. And it is as we believe it, and 
continue believing it, that He bears witness through it 
from God's Spirit to our spirit, that we are God's sons. 
This you will see is the meaning of Heb. x. 15-18. The 
Spirit is there plainly spoken of as bearing witness 
through the Word. Now, to show you that your diffi- 
culty is— that you are not looking entirely away from self, 
and simply trusting the Word of God without reference 
to feeling, I will give you a little illustration to help you 
comprehend what it is to just trust God's bare Word. 

** * Christ hath Redeemed ! * Oh, joyful word, 
Let praise to God awaken, 
On Christ the wrath of God outpoured, 
'I'he curse from us hath taken. 

•* ' Christ hath Redeemed ! ' The curse is gone, 
The Lord alone hath done it : 
The Cross behold, with God's dear Son, 
And all our sins, upon it I 

** ' Christ hath Redeemed 1' The law is met, 
Its every claim exacted, 
And God in justice now can meet 
The soul in Christ perfected. 

*• ' Christ hath Redeemed ! * The Word believe 7 
And Christ as Lord confessing, 
Eternal life thou shalt receive. 
And everlasting blessing." 



CHAPTER IV. 




LIFE IMPARTED BY BELIEVING — ILLUSTRATION. 
** He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life." — John iii. 36. 

HE conversation in the Inquiry Room is still 
being continued. 

" You know the Governor of this State 
has power, without accountability, to pardon 
any one he pleases, and to take them out of prison ? " 

" Yes, I do ; and I know he sometimes pardons those 
he had better have left in. They come out, and are as 
big rogues as ever." 

"No doubt. He cannot read men's hearts to tell 
whether they are truly repentant or not ; but is liable to 
be deceived by their professions and the recommenda- 
tions of their friends. God cannot be thus deceived ; 
although men in folly and blindness seem to act as 
though they thought He might. And He, blessed be 
His name, gives with His pardon what the Governor has 
not power to give — grace in the heart to live the new 
and better life. But, to go on. We will suppose that 
the Governor sends down to the prison to - morrow 
pardons for three different men who are now there under 
sentence often, fifteen, or twenty years each of imprison- 
ment for violation of law. The pardons are unconditional, 
are signed by the governor, and with them each of the 
men is at liberty to at once go out from the prison. But 



LIFE IMPARTED BY BELIEVING. 17 

all three of the men have the notion firmly in their 
minds that there is something they must do before they 
can use the pardons that have been placed at their 
disposal. All of them take special pains with the 
petitions they think should be offered to the Governor on 
their behalf And one waits until he has drawn up his 
petition, and had his friends numerously sign it; and 
armed with this and his pardon goes out of prison. Does 
the petition have anything to do with his getting out ? 
" No, of course not. His pardon got him out," 
" Well, the application of this is — the Lord does no 
want j^^ to be occupied with praying and getting up 
petitions to Him to pardon you, while in His Word you 
may read the pardon, ready for your acceptance, to be 
taken by believing. The next of the prisoners is quite 
sure that he ought to feel very bad about his wrong-doing, 
and be able to weep over it, before it would be possible 
for him to use his pardon ; and so he shuts himself up 
in his cell for a week, and works up this bad feeling, and 
then with swollen eyes presents his pardon and goes out. 
Have the swollen eyes anything to do with his release ? " 
" No ; the pardon was all that was needed." 
" So, my friend, your ideas about Repentance are all 
wrong, in so far as you regard repentance as a state of 
feeling bad, and think that God will be pleased with you 
when He sees you are feeling really bad ; and that then 
because He is pleased with you, and you have satisfied 
His requirements in repenting enough, you are now 
worthy of the pardon. Repentance, in the Gospel sense 
of the word, is being honestly willing to yield to God, 
and accept His authority. It is produced by the view 
the Gospel gives of God's love in Christ, and the offer of 

t 



i8 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

His free pardon ; and is evidenced as genuine by our 
willingness in yielding to God, to accept of that pardon 
and give him praise and thanks for the same, and not 
by our unbelieving neglect of the pardon, and being 
occupied with the vain thought of making ourselves 
worthy in God's sight by our feelings or our tears. Well, 
we come to the third prisoner. He also feels that he 
must do something before he takes the pardon, and so 
he obtains paper and ink, and writes out with much 
elaboration, style, and flourishing, a series of good 
resolutions showing what right ideas he has of gene- 
rosity and good conduct, and in what a noble, upright 
manner the remainder of his life shall be passed. 
He signs his name at the bottom of the page, and holding 
up the paper for inspection, he is struck with admiration 
at the evidence of his own innate goodness; and now 
thinks that the Governor did quite the proper thing in 
pardoning him, and is sure that he has come into the 
proper frame to use the pardon, and that, accompanied by 
his good resolutions, it will get him out. Is he right ?" 
" No, of course not. The pardon did the business." 
" Yes, my friend, it did ; and God's pardon will do 
the business for you, if you will trust it. Good resolu- 
tions without the grace of God in our hearts to enable 
us to keep them are worse than useless. When Christ is 
accepted in the heart, new desires, new principles, and 
a new life will follow. But the first thing is — as a guilty, 
helpless, condemned sinner — to accept Christ ; and not 
be wasting time in trying to make yourself better 
before you accept Him ; or in making promises as to 
what you will do after you accept Him, with the idea that 
you earn your pardon in so doing. 



LIFE IMPARTED B V BELIE VING. 19 

"Let us follow the illustration a little further, to help 
you upon one remaining point — viz., your looking at your 
feelings. The three men are out of prison with their 
pardons in their pockets, and on their way to their 
homes. One of them is a man of morbid and unhappy 
temperament. A feeling of depression easily overcomes 
him. He is feeling bad as he goes on his way now. An 
officer meets and recognizes him, and says, * See here. 
I know you. You were condemned by the law, and 
belong to the prison. What have you to show that 
you have a right to be out here ? ' The man hangs his 
head, and says, * You are right. I belong to the prison. 
I will go back with you. I expected to feel very happy 
when I got out, but the feeling has not come ; and, of 
course, I have no right to be out, feeling as I do. So I 
feel that I had better go back with you, and wait until I 
feel better.' " 

" What is the matter with the man ? " 

" Why, the foolish fellow is talking about his feelings, 
instead of producing his pardon." 

" Yes, just so. Well, here is the second one. He is 
an entirely different character, a happy, joyful, excitable 
temperament. He goes along whistling, singing, laugh- 
ing, and telling everybody how happy he is. An officer 
meets him and recognizes him, and says, ^ See here, 
friend, you were condemned, and belong by law to the 
prison. What have you to show for being out here ? ' 
' Show,' says the man, * why, don't you see how happy 
I feel ? I know that a man that feels as happy as I 
feel must have a right to be out here. That 's what I 
feel. I have my feelings to show.' But the officer 
collars him, and takes him off. What is the trouble ? " 



20 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

! 

"Why, he is just as great a fool as the other man. 
He talks about his feelings instead of pulling out the 
pardon." 

" Just so. Now a word about the third man ; and I 
will make my application. He has determined in getting 
out of prison to live a new life. He is going to cut his 
bad companions, earn his bread, and live in a respectable 
way. He goes to a hairdresser, and buys a wig to hide 
his short hair. He goes to a tailor, and is nicely clothed. 
But the officer meets him and commands a halt, and 
says, * See here, my man, I know you ; you belong to 
the prison. You cannot fool me by your disguise. 
What have you to show for being out 1 ' The man 
draws himself up with the dignity of injured innocence, 
and answers, * Show, sir ! I have my new and respect- 
able character to show. I have turned over a new leaf. 
I am a reformed man. Do you see these new clothes ? 
Do you see this wig ? These are what I have to show, sir.' 
Before he has finished his speech the officer is hurrying 
him off to prison. What is the matter with this man ? '' 

" Matter ! Why, he is as great a fool as the other 
two : he does not pull out his pardon.'' 

"Just so. Now, my friend, let us make the applica- 
tion. You say here to-night that, accepting your 
condemnation by God's law for your sins, as inevitable 
and just, you desire and are willing to accept Jesus 
Christ as your Redeemer, and from to-night trust His 
Word, and pray to Him as your Saviour." 

" Yes, sir, I am." 

" Will you read once more Gal. iii. 13 ?^' 

** Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being 
made a curse for us." 



LIFE IMPARTED BY BELIEVING. 21 

" Do you believe that ? '' " Yes, I do." 

" Are you redeemed ? " 

" Well, I— I don't feel " 

" Stop ! What did you say about those men who 
talked about their feelings, instead of holding up the 
Governor's pardon ? " 

" Oh, I see. Why, yes ; that is it, is it not ? Why, I 
haven't really believed it, have I ? I am to trust God^s 
Word to me, as those prisoners trusted the Governor's 
word to them ; and feeling has nothing to do with it. 
How singular it is I did not see that before ! Why, of 
course Christ has done it all. And I just accept it.'^ 

" Well, are you redeemed ? " 

" Yes, thank God, / ainy 

" How do you know you are ? '* 

" Why, as a sinner I accept Jesus Christ as my 
Saviour : and God's Word says I am redeemed ; and I 
believe it." 

" Well, my friend, praise God for the light that has 
come by believing. Look in the same direction for more 
to follow. And now, before we thank God, just see 
where your living for God comes in. Redeemed means 
purchased. What did Christ pay for you ? " 

" He paid His own life — His blood." 

"Yes, dear friend. He did. Well, if He purchased 
you, and paid that price for you, to whom do you 
belong ?'' 

" I belong to Him.'' 

" Are you willing to have it so ?— to be His pro- 
perty, His willing servant, His faithful follower, His 
obedient child ? " 

" I am. I belong to Christ. He redeemed me." 



22 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

**Very well. That is the Christian life. It com- 
mences with redemption. We serve because we are 
saved. The curse is gone — all gone ; and for ever gone. 
And now^ — with the Saviour who died for us living to 
hear our prayer and provide a daily salvation from the 
power of sin — we are to live for our Redeemer. 

" Let us praise Him ! " 

I fidtr ^^%t\i to l^sus Christ. 

(Romans vi.) 

I yield myself to Jesus Christ, 

The Son of God, my Master ; 
He paid for me the ransom price, 

And saved me from disaster. 

I once a servant was to sin, 

And to it wholly yielded ; 
The God of this world welcomed in, 

His sceptre o'er me wielded. 

But God the uncreated light 

In Jesus manifested, 
Shone in upon my darkened night, 

And then I sin detested. 

I strove in vain to break the chain 
By which my sins had bound me ; 

No strength had I to fight or fly, 
A lost one Jesus found me. 

I saw myself nailed to the cross, 

In Him who thus was given, 
To free me from the law's dread curse, 

And make me heir of Heaven. 

And now by Him to law made dead, 

By faith I live united 
To Him, my Lord, and risen Head, 

In holy union plighted. 



CHAPTER V. 



WARFARE. 




"Fight the good fight of faith."— i Tim. vi. 12. 

FTER ye were illuminated ye endured a 
great fight of afflictions," says the Word of 
God in Heb. x. 32. LIFE involves warfare. 
Life is made manifest in warfare, and is 
developed and strengthened by warfare. This is the law 
of God in nature, and the law of God in grace. So, my 
brother, the trumpet of the Gospel gives no uncertain 
sound. We are called to w^arfare. In the spiritual 
world as in the natural, foes are permitted to exist : that 
we, as God's children, in fighting and overcoming them 
may grow in grace and strength, and make manifest 
the beauty and the power of that life which has been 
imparted to us to the praise and glory of our God. 
Therefore : 

" Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations ; 
knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience." 

(James i. 2, 3.) 

" Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial 
which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened 
unto you : but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's 
sufferings ; that when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be 
glad also with exceeding joy." (i Peter iv. 12, 13.) 



24 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

" Every branch in Me that beareth fruit, He purgeth it, that 
it may bring forth more fruit." (John xv. 2.) 

*'Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth 
every son whom He receiveth." (Heb. xii. 6.) 

** The God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal 
glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered awhile, make 
you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you." (i Peter v. lo.) 

Thus the Lord puts before us our calling. The Lord 
is " the Lord of Hosts." " The Lord is a Man of War." 
All who follow Him are called unto conflict. 

"If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, 
and take up his cross and follow Me." (Matt. xvi. 24.) 

Let us ever bear in mind that this warfare comes 
" after we are illuminated "—comes because we are 
God's children, not to make us God's children. We 
are working out the salvation we have received, 
making manifest the life that God has put within 
us : working " with fear and trembling " indeed, in 
view of our terrible foes, and our constant need of 
divine help ; and in view of the fact that " it is God 
which worketh in us, both to will and to do of His 
good pleasure." But we are working not for, but from 
salvation. Illuminated, we stand as lights in this dark 
earth to shine for the glory of God, way-marks against 
which the world will rage — ^just as the waves of the 
ocean foam and toss themselves against the beacons on 
the coast, that have invaded their domain to save the 
manner from the ruin they would inflict. 

God-hating devils and men have always hated God's 
children, and always will. A man wearing the English 
uniform, and bearing the English flag, passing through 
Upper Egypt to-day, would be an object of hate and 
persecution, and be in danger of death. He would be 



WARFARE. 2S 

identified with a Government against which the people 
were fighting, and whose rule they refused. He would 
be in an enemy's territory, and could not have peace, if 
loyal to his country and to his flag. He must fight or 
throw off his uniform, and hide his colours. So a Christian 
in the world is in an enemy's country, God's rule is 
rebelled against ; His authority despised ; His very 
existence denied. We cannot be loyal to God on this 
earth without warfare — uncompromising, unceasing 
hostility to the very end. It is to this God calls us as 
His witnesses. If " illuminated,*' here is where we must 
stand — shoulder to shoulder with those who have girdled 
the earth with the name of Jesus ; holding forth the 
Word of Life, standing fast for God and His truth : or 
basely hide our illumination, lay off our uniform, forsake 
our colours, and be at peace — false peace — with the 
enemies of our God. May God save us from this ! " For 
whosoever shall be ashamed of Me and of My words, of 
him shall the Son of Man be ashamed when He shall 
come in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the 
holy angels." (Luke ix. 26.) 

If discouraged or depressed in mind in view of the 
conflict, let us look up to Jesus, as commanded in 
Heb. xii. 2. Look to Jesus, the Princely Leader of our 
faith, who has gone on before us, enduring the cross, 
despising the shame. Let us remember the great cloud 
of witnesses : the saints and heroes who, upon earth's 
battlefield, have witnessed a good confession and died 
in the faith. 

" Once they were mourners here below 
And poured out cries and tears ; 
They wrestled hard as we do now, 
With sins, and doubts, and fears." 



26 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

Let us go forth unto Christ in separation and com- 
munion, joining the host of sanctified ones who have 
suffered reproach for His name's sake ; seeking here no 
continuing city, but looking for one to come : and then 
we shall be enabled, with a clear eye and a steady heart, 
to " run with patience the race that is set before us," 
and to fight on in the good fight of faith ; and " having 
done all, to stand." 

It is grand to be a soldier of Jesus Christ ; for His 
soldiers are not for show, but for war. 

Forward then, with Jesus sharing 

In the warfare here below ! 
Forward ! in His name unfearing, 

Boldly meeting every foe. 

Count it never a disaster, 
When the shame for Him you bear, 

But rejoice that such a Master, 
Gives you in His Cross a share. 

Unto sin be daily dying, 

That His life may through thee shine ; 
Find thy strength in lowly lying 

At the pierced feet divine. 

Soon the earthly conflict over, 

Christ will come to claim His own ; 

Oh, the grace — the grace, my brother 1 — 
If He then shall say '' WeU done ! "" 



CHAPTER VL 




OUR ENEMIES. — I. SATAN. 

" Your adversary^, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, 
seeking whom he may devour." — i Pet. v. 8. 

N warfare, to be forevi^arned is to be fore- 
armed. God has given us abundance of fore- 
warning, and knowledge of our adversaries, 
throughout His Word. Satan, the World, and 
the Flesh, are the three mighty foes of the child of God. 
The first is the mightiest ; and is, indeed, the impelling 
and destroying element in the other two. To him we 
are specially pointed as the source of danger ; and of him 
we are repeatedly warned. The child of God, subject to 
the Word of God, is made fully aware of the personality, 
the name, the history, the character, the plans and pur- 
poses, the power and final destiny, of this archfiend. 

" I don't believe, Mr. Finney," said a man reckoned 
wise by the world to the faithful servant of Christ, " I 
don't believe in the existence of the devil." 

" Don't you ? " said the old man. " Well, my friend, 
you resist him for awhile, and you will believe in it." 

So man, led captive by him at his will, either denies 
his existence or clothes him with hoofs and horns, a 
creature to be dreaded and shrunk from ; instead of 



28 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

remembering the warning that he is an angel of light, 
presenting to each a tempting bait, and luring on in 
pleasant paths the soul to hell. Let the reader remember 
that never will he be in so great danger from Satan, as 
when careless and unconcerned as to his existence, and 
even questioning his personality. 

The literal translation of the Lord's Prayer in the 
Revised Version, changing the words " Deliver us from 
Evily^ to a faithful rendering of what our Lord taught, 
" Deliver us from the Evil One,'' has aroused enmity 
among unbelieving ones, who deny the supernatural. 
But let all who call Jesus Lord, remember that He 
taught us when we pray to say, " Deliver us from the 
Evil One." 

Without examination of the passages where Satan is 
spoken of as a person under the name of " Evil Spirit " 
or " Wicked Spirit," and other designations, a glance at 
the Concordance will show that he is definitely mentioned 
as a person called " Satan," sixteen times in the Old 
Testament, and thirty-five times in the New. He is 
called " Devil " four times in the Old Testament, and 
one hundred and nine times in the New. He is called 
"Serpent" five times in the Old, and five times in the 
New Testament. He is one hundred and seventy-four 
times mentioned under these three designations. To 
say that no such person exists, or that his designation is 
simply a name for an evil influence or principle — is to 
make the Bible an untrustworthy book ; the words of 
Jesus ambiguous and misleading ; the history of man's 
redemption contradictory and falsifying, with its plans 
and purposes, and ultimate results and consequences, 
entirely changed from that which God has revealed in 



OUR ENEMIES,— L SATAN. 29 

His Word. The existence of Satan as the enemy of 
God and prince of the powers of darkness can alone 
explain the existence of sin and the reign of misery 
and death on this earth — can alone explain the coming 
of a Divine Redeemer to save man from his power, and 
the world from his awful reign. 

Of his history before the creation of man, Jesus tells 
us in Luke x. 18, " I beheld Satan as lightning fall from 
heaven/' And in 2 Peter ii. 4, we read, " God spared not 
the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell," etc. 
A few other intimations to the same effect are found in 
Jobi., Isaiah xiv. I2 — 15, Daniel x. 13, Zech. iii. 1,2, and 
in Revelation ; but nothing in detail beyond the words 
of Christ. Our concern is with his history on this earth, 
and our connection with that history. In regard to this 
the Word is plain and full. He appears in Gen. iii. as 
the denier of God's Word, "the liar from the beginning," 
the tempter, and the active agent in man's first trans- 
gression against God. 

Declared to man as the cause of his fall and as his 
determined enemy, the history of his long relentless and 
most bitter warfare against the human race is briefly out- 
lined in the words, " I will put enmity between thee and 
the woman, and between thy seed and her seed ; it shall 
bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel," spoken by 
God to Satan in Gen. iii. 15. The Bible, from that verse to 
Rev. XX. 10, where "the devil that deceived them is cast 
into the lake of fire and brimstone, to be tormented day 
and night for ever and ever," is a history of that warfare. 
Read in the light of this prophecy, it becomes intelligible 
and most deeply interesting. The conflict at once com- 
mences, and proceeds with deepening interest and 



30 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY, 

intensity down to the end, when Satan is cast out, and 
the Son of God, in the form of the Son of Man, with 
His elect "redeemed of Adam's race," in bodies like His 
own, reign over earth, an Eden once again — the para- 
dise of Christ the Bridegroom, and the Church His Bride 
— where sin can never enter. 

Cain is possessed of Satan, and as a consequence 
Abel is murdered. This was the devil's first success. 

God's children mix with the seed of Cain, and soon 
become corrupt, and in judgment are swept away by 
the flood. This was the devil's second triumph. 

Noah delivered from the flood is overcome by wine. 
His children multiplied ; are far from God at Babel, and 
under Satan's power. They are scattered over the earth, 
and left to follow the inclinations of their own deceitful 
hearts ; while God, to make a people for His name out 
from the sons of Adam, and fulfil the promise of the 
woman's seed, calls Abram. 

From that call in Gen. xii., the Word of God is the 
history of Satan's warfare against Abram and his seed. 
He hindered the birth of Isaac ; he strove to have him 
killed ; he made enmity between Esau and Jacob ; and 
he sought the death of Joseph, for fear that he would be 
the one to bruise his head. When God revealed that 
the promised seed should come through Judah, then 
against Judah and his line, is Satan's malice shown. 
With this in view, how things recorded that seem strange 
within God's holy book are all explained ! The vilest 
sins the Bible records are sins recorded of those who 
were in the chosen line. And these sins they were 
tempted by Satan to commit, to bring them under 
judgment, and to thwart God's purposes and plans. But, 



OUR ENEMIES.— I. SATAN. 31 

with each sin the gospel is foreshadowed by redemption 
acted out in type ; and the seed is preserved. 

No nation ever sinned so grievously, or came so 
many times so near destruction, as Israel. The devil 
thought he had them all when under Pharaoh down in 
Egypt. They lived in sin, and wrought in bondage. 
But God raised up a little babe, and had him nursed in 
Pharaoh's house ; and by that babe, a man of stammer- 
ing lips, He delivered them. At Sinai, Satan brought 
them all right under judgment in leading them to vow 
they would keep God's law, and then in ten days after 
they bowed, and worshipped him before the golden calf. 
The sword of God was drawn above the dancing, naked, 
guilty host ; but one man's pleading of the promises of 
God beside the blood-stained altar — a type of Christ 
for us in heaven — defeated Satan ; and the seed was 
spared. 

When out of Judah's tribe the house of David was 
chosen, a thousand years before the birth of Christ, as 
being in the royal line through which the promised 
seed should come, then Satan fought with them. Many 
of the Psalms of David tell the conflict he endured ; a 
conflict typical of that to be endured by Christ and by 
His Church. The sin of David was Satan's work. The 
murder of his sons, the fall of Solomon, the cutting off 
of the seed royal, until only one young babe was left — 
miraculously preserved (2 Chron. xxii. 11); the carry- 
ing into Babylon, the princes there among the lions, 
and in the fiery furnace — all show how desperately 
Satan fought against the woman^s seed. 

In the fulness of time, from David^s family and 
ixovci fudah's tribe^ of Abraham^ s seed, Jesus Ch^^ist out 



32 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY, 

Lord was born. With His appearance on the earth, 
the warfare centres upon Him, His life is sought while 
yet a babe ; and from the commencement to the close 
of His ministry the devil fought as never before. In 
Matt. iv. we have the conflict of temptation in the 
wilderness, when the tempter appeared as A PERSON, 
called the devil, and is addressed by Christ as Satan, 
Thrust through and through by the Word of God, 
the sword of the Spirit, and defeated in this attempt to 
turn aside the " Second Adam '' from His trust in God, 
he leaves Him ''ioxa season'' (Luke iv. 13); but soon 
renews the fight, through Priests and Pharisees, Herods 
and Pilates, and wicked men, with whom the powers of 
hell were leagued. He withstood Christ at every step 
of His pathway by entering into the Jews who opposed 
and denied Him, of whom He said, "Ye are of your 
father the devil ; and the lusts of your father ye will do." 
" Now ye seek to kill Me " (John viii. 44, 40). He 
entered into Judas, who betrayed the Lord. 

He was present in the Garden of Gethsemane, not to 
sleep, as did the faithful disciples ; but to actively torment, 
with every temptation that hellish ingenuity could con- 
trive, the Man of Sorrows, as He lonely wrestled there 
in prayer, with wicked spirits all around, until there 
came the overcoming grace. In the darkness of the 
Cross Satan was present, and " bruised the heel " of the 
promised seed. " 'Twas all that he could do." Beyond 
God's Word, he has never gone, and never can go — that 
Word now waits to be fulfilled on him. 

In the meantime, O Christian believer, what means 
this record — this minute and awful delineation of Satan's 
triumphs over man — for you } Are zve, as those who in 



OUR ENEMIES,— L SATAN, 33 

our little time upon this earth, are now the special objects 
of his wrath, standing in the fore-front of a conflict 
raging hotter every generation as the end draws near — 
awake to our danger ; and alive to the dignity of our 
calling as sharers with Christ in His sufferings, and heirs 
of coming glory ? May the eyes of the reader be opened 
to the reality of the spiritual conflict that has been raging 
on this earth since Adam's fall, and to the part he or 
she must individually have in that conflict, as bearing 
the name of Christ. 

"For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but 
against the principalities, against the powers, against the 
world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of 
wickedness in the heavenhes" (Eph. vi. 12, R.y.). 




CHAPTER VIL 

OUR ENEMIES. — I. SATAN — {continued). 

" The dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan." 
(Rev. XX. 2.) 

ROM the testimony brought forward in the 
preceding chapter, the reality of Satan's 
warfare against Israel and against Christ 
would be admitted by all who bow to the 
authority of God's Word. It is, however, when we come 
to study Satan's relations to the Church that we find 
Scripture testimony in much larger quantity, and more 
direct and simple, if possible, in character : teaching that 
— all through her history on this earth, right down to the 
Resurrection morning, when, with the glorious appearing 
of the Lord, Satan will be bound — the Church, and each 
individual in the Church, must fight the Devil, and will 
often suffer from him as a most malignant foe. The 
experience of Job is undoubtedly given to teach the 
Christian this, with the caution, that we are not to look 
for an end, like Job's, this side of Resurrection. 

Plagued more than those that are around us, the trial 
to faith is great, and it is only the faith that grasps the 
resurrection hope, and can say, with Job, " I knoiv that 
my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the 
latter day upon the earth : and though, after my skin, 



OUR ENEMIES,—!, SATAN, 35 

worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see 
God," that will stand the trial. 

David, in the experience related in the seventy-third 
Psalm, had almost fainted under it. His " feet had well 
nigh slipped." The wicked prospered, and were at ease, 
while God's people were chastened and oppressed. He 
sang, "When I thought to know this, it was too painful 
for me." The burden was heavy upon him ; for he had 
to pass through bitter trials. And to how many of 
God's dear children since has this been their most pain- 
ful trial ! Dear reader, enter with David into the sanc- 
tuary of God. 

See from His Word in the record of Job and David, 
and, above all, from the example of our blessed Lord, 
that the trials through which you are now passing have 
the same origin as theirs ; and the same faithful God 
who brought all to a happy issue with them, will, as you 
trust Him, bring all to a happy issue with you. Judge 
not of things^ on earth according to man's judgment; 
but consider the latter end oi all things here, and judge 
as in the sunlight of God's eternal throne. 

There was scriptural authority and true wisdom in 
the answer given by a Christian negro slave to his master 
in the South, when one day, after his master had over- 
heard him groaning and weeping and praying to God for 
deliverance from the Devil, and had said to him, 
" Pompey, you seem to have a good deal of trouble with 
the Devil ; and he does not trouble me a bit. Yet you 
are a good praying man ; and I am not a Christian at all. 
How does that come about, Pompey?" He replied: 
" Ah, Massa, I will soon explain that. When you are out 
shooting ducks, which do you send the dog after first, 



36 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY, 

Massa, the ones that fall dead, or the ones that are 
wounded a little, and are trying to get away ? '' " Why, 
Pompey, the wounded ones, of course. The dead ones 
we are sure of, and can take our time to pick them up." 
"Just so, Massa. And so it is with Satan. He has got 
all of those that are not born again, fast and sure. But 
those that know the Lord, and that are getting away, He 
sets all his dogs after ; while he picks up the others by 
and bye." A solemn answer for Pompey's master, and 
for all who are like him, without Christ, unconcerned for 
sin, and untroubled in a world where Satan reigns. 

"And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, Satan hath 
desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat. But 
I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not " (Luke 
xxii. 31, 32). And Satan was permitted to have Peter — 
not to enter and possess him, as he did Judas, who never 
was a child of God, but — to have him in the sense of being 
let loose upon him, to tempt him and to overcome him, 
for the humbling of Peter's pride and for sifting out his 
self-confidence, God overruling all that Satan did for 
Peter's spiritual good and His own glory. Now, Peter's 
experience is a type of the experience of the whole 
Church and of the individuals of the Church. In each 
generation of its history the Church has been sifted by 
Satan. He changes from age to age the agencies 
employed ; but his malice is unchanged, and the results 
are still the same. Persecution at one period : prosperity 
at another. Truth without the Holy Spirit in one age : 
false doctrine following. Contempt from the world, in 
this generation : world-conformity, in the next. Zeal 
without knowledge, breaking out into fanaticism, and 
dividing the Church : knowledge without zeal, ending 



OUR ENEMIES.— L SATAN. 37 

in materialism, and paralyzing the Church. Ecclesi- 
asticism and spiritual oppression, dwarfing the Church : 
lawless liberty, with no recognition of scriptural autho- 
rity, scattering the Church. 

And so the body of Christ has been, and is being, 
sifted ; and will continue to be sifted unto the end. 
What the Holy Ghost has recorded of its early history, 
He has prophesied should be its experience until Satan 
should be bound. 

But let the Word speak for itself upon this deeply 
important subject. May the reader attentively ponder 
its solemn testimony, as we glance along its pages from 
the days of Pentecost down to the close. 

Acts V. 3 — " Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine 
heart to lie to the Holy Ghost ? " 

Acts xiii. 10 — " Child of the Devil, enemy of all 
righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right 
ways of the Lord ? " 

Acts xxvi. 17, 18 — "Delivering thee from the Gen- 
tiles, unto whom now I send thee, to open their eyes, 
and to turn them from darkness to light, and from 
the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive 
forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which 
are sanctified by faith that is in Me." 

Rom. xvi. 20 — "The God of peace shall bruise 
Satan under your feet shortly." 

I Cor. V. 5 — " To deliver such an one unto Satan for 
the destruction of the flesh." 

1 Cor. vii. 5 — " That Satan tempt you not." 

2 Cor. ii. II — " Lest Satan should get an advantage 
of us : for we are not ignorant of his devices." 



38 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

2 Cor. xi. 3 — " But I fear, lest by any means, as t/ie 
serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds 
should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in 
Christ." 

2 Cor. xi. 14, 15 — " Satan himself is transformed into 
an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his 
ministers also be transformed as the ministers of right- 
eousness; whose end shall be according to their works." 

2 Cor. xii. 7 — " And lest I should be exalted above 
measure through the abundance of the revelations, there 
was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of 
Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above 
measure." 

Eph. ii. 2 — " Wherein in time past ye walked 
according to the course of this world, according to the 
prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh 
in the children of disobedience." 

Eph. vi. 1 1 — " Put on the whole armour of God, that 
ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil!' 

1 Thess. ii. 18 — "Wherefore we would have come 
unto you, even I Paul, once and again ; but Satan 
hindered us." 

2 Thess. ii. 8 — 10 — "And then shall that Wicked be 
revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit 
of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness 
of His coming : even Him, whose coming is after the 
working of Satan ; with all power, and signs, and lying 
wonders ; and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness 
in them that perish, because they received not the love 
of the truth, that they might be saved." 

I Tim. iii. 7 — " The sjiare of the devils 

I Tim. iv. I — " Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, 



OUR ENEMIES,— I, SATAN 39 

that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, 
giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils!' 

1 Tim. V. 15 — "For some are already turned aside 
after Satan!' 

2 Tim. ii. 26, iii. i — " That they may recover them- 
selves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken 
captive by him at his will. This know also, that in the 
last days perilous times shall come." (May I urge upon 
the reader to turn to and carefully read the whole of this 
chapter.) 

Heb. ii. 14, 15 — " Forasmuch then as the children are 
partakers of flesh and blood. He also himself likewise 
took part of the same; that through death He might 
destroy him that had the power of death — that is, the 
devil \ and deliver them who through fear of death were 
all their lifetime subject to bondage." 

James iv. 7 — " Resist the devil, and he will flee 
from you." 

I Peter v. 8, 9 (R.V.) — •" Be sober, be watchful : your 
adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seek- 
ing whom he may devour; whom withstand, stedfast in 
your faith, knowing that the same sufferings are accom- 
plished in your brotherhood who are in the world." 

I John ii. 13 — " I write unto you, young men, because 
ye have overcome the Wicked One!' 

I John iii. 8, 10 — " He that committeth sin is of the 
devil ; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For 
this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He 
might destroy the works of the devil In this the 
children of God are manifest, and the children of the 
devil : whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of 
God, neither he that loveth not his brother." 



40 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY, 

I John iii. 12 — " Not as Cain, who was of that Wicked 
One, and slew his brother." 

I John iv. I — 3 — " Beloved, believe not every spirit ; 
but try the spirits whether they are of God. . . . Every 
spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the 
flesh is of God. And every spirit that confesseth not that 
Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God. And 
this is that spirit oi Antichrist, whereof ye have heard that 
it should come : and even now already is it in the 
world." 

1 John v. 1 8 to 21 (r.v.) — "We know that whoso- 
ever is begotten of God sinneth not; but he that was 
begotten of God keepeth him, and the Evil One toucheth 
him not. We know that we are of God ; and the whole 
world lieth in the Evil One, And we know that the Son 
of God is come, and hath given us an understanding that 
we may know Him that is true ; and we are in Him that 
is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true 
God, and eternal life. My little children, guard your- 
selves from idols." 

2 John 7 (r.v.)—" Many deceivers are gone forth 
into the world, even they that confess not that Jesus 
the Christ cometh in the flesh. This is the deceiver and 
the Antichrist." 

Jude 9 — "Yet Michael the Archangel, when con- 
tending with the devil he disputed about the body of 
Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, 
but said. The Lord rebuke thee." 

Rev. ii. 10 (R.v.). To Sniyrna — " Fear not the things 
which thou art about to suffer ; behold, the devil is 
about to cast some of you into prison that ye may 
be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days. Be 



OUR ENEMIES,—!, SATAN. 41 

thou faithful unto death ; and I will give thee a crown 
of life." 

Rev. ii. 20, 23, 25 (r.V.). To Thyatira — " I have this 
against thee, that thou sufferest the woman Jezebel, 
which calleth herself a prophetess ; and she teacheth and 
seduceth my servants. . . . And I will kill her children 
with death. . . . But to you, I say, to the rest that are 
in Thyatira, as many as have not this teaching, which 
know not the deep things of Satan . . . Hold fast till 
I come." 

Rev. iii. 10, II (r.V.). To Philadelphia — "Because 
thou didst keep the word of my patience, I also will 
keep thee from the hour of trial, that hour which is to 
come upon the whole world to try them that dwell upon 
the earth. I come quickly : hold fast that which thou 
hast, that no one take thy crown." 

Rev. ix. II — "And they had a king over them, which 
IS the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the 
Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue 
hath his name Apollyon {margin, destroyer)." 

Rev. xii. 7 — 13, 17 — "And there was war in heaven : 
Michael and his angels fought against the dragon ; 
and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed 
not ; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 
And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, 
called the devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole 
world : he was cast out into the earth, and his angels 
were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice 
saying in heaven. Now is come salvation, and strength, 
and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His 
Christ ; for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, 
which accused them before our God day and night. And 



42 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by 
the word of their testimony : and they loved not their 
lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and 
ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the 
earth and of the sea ! for the devil is come down unto you, 
having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but 
a short time. And when the dragon saw that he was 
cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which 
brought forth the man-child. . . . And the dragon was 
wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the 
remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of 
God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." 

Rev. xiii. 6-8 and 15-17 — "And he opened his 
mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His 
name, and His tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 
And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, 
and to overcome them : and power was given him over 
all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that 
dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are 
not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from 
the foundation of the world. . . . And he had power to 
give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of 
the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as 
would not worship the image of the beast should be 
killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich 
and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right 
hand, or in their foreheads ; and that no man might buy 
or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the 
beast, or the number of his name." 

Rev. XX. I to 10 — "And I saw an angel come down 

from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a 

. great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the 



OUR ENEMIES,— I. SATAA. 43 

dragon^ that old serpent^ which is the devil, and Satan, 
and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the 
bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon 
him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the 
thousand years should be fulfilled : and after that 
he must be loosed a little season. And I saw 
thrones; and they sat upon them, and judgment was 
given unto them : and I saw the souls of them that were 
beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the Word of 
God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither 
his image, neither had received his mark upon their 
foreheads, or in their hands ; and they lived and reigned 
with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead 
lived not again until the thousand years were finished. 
This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he 
that hath part in the first resurrection : on such the 
second death hath no power; but they shall be priests of 
God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand 
years. And when the thousand years are expired, Satan 
shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to 
deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the 
earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to 
battle : the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 
And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and 
compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved 
city : and fire came down from God out of heaven, and 
devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was 
cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast 
and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day 
and night for ever and ever." 



44 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 



m, W.U to (Bartlrl 

Woe, woe to earth ! The devil has come down, 

From heaven cast out. The earth is now his home ; 

And here he seeks in rage to rob Christ of His crown, 
And make the sons of Adam share his awful doom. 

Once there in heaven, with access to God's throne, 
He day and night accused our fallen guilty race, 

Insisting that God's justice should be justly shown, 
And man no longer left to live, his Maker to disgrace. 

put when the Son of God as " Son of Man " had come. 
And on the cross, for guilty man, a full atonement made, 

God pointed to His sprinkled blood before the Throne, 
And Satan from those heavenly courts in wrath for ever fled. 

But, woe to earth ! — and sorrow for a little while 

To Christ's believing ones who witness for Him here. 

With malice and with rage, with traps and cunning guile. 
The doomed he lures to death ; the saints he fights with fear. 

He knows his time is short : that soon the Son of God 
Victorious shall come, and bind him with the everlasting chain 2 

And so he rages on, and fills the world with blood ! 
And earth must groan till Christ shall come to reign. 




CHAPTER VIII. 



SATAN — {concluded), 
**For we are not ignorant of his devices." — 2 COR. ii. ii. 




HUS, in detail, has been given the testimony 
of the Holy Ghost concerning Satan and 
his relation to the Church and the individual 
Christian. 

How can there be any intelligent comprehension of 
the character of Christian conflict on this earth, without 
an understanding of the rebellion against God and 
His righteous government that Satan has instigated 
and is leading on ; and the knowledge that there are just 
two parties on the earth still, as at the beginning — viz., 
the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent — and 
between them v/AR. The Lord Jesus Christ has overcome 
Satan, and in His Word has exposed and unmasked 
him as a murderer^ a deceiver^ a liar^ an accuse}^ a blas- 
phemer^ a wicked one^ an adversary^ a seducer^ a corrupter^ 
a beguiler^ and a roaring lion. The Lord would have 
us know him as he really is, that we may fear and abhor 
him. He warns us that he will approach us as *' an 
angel of light," and will assume the character most 
likely to secure his prey. Abiding in Christ, and in 
humility guided by His Word, we shall be kept by His 



46 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

power. If caught by Satan away from Christ, and 
puffed up by spiritual pride or wilfulness of the flesh, 
we shall assuredly be captured by him in some way. 
We must be ever upon our guard against the first 
approaches of the enemy, "avoiding every appearance 
of evil." 

Some years since a soldier was posted in a forest as 
a sentry, to watch for the approach of Indians. It was 
a position of peculiar danger. Savages were known to 
be lurking in the woods around the fort, watching for 
an opportunity to attack or to cut off the sentinels. 
Three different men had been surprised and killed 
without having had time to fire a shot, in three suc- 
cessive preceding days, upon this post. The soldier 
was left with strict orders for the utmost vigilance to 
be observed. Reflecting upon his situation, as he was 
left alone, the man determined that he would allow no 
living thing to approach him under any circumstances 
without having a satisfactory explanation of what it 
was. In a short time, an object moving among the 
trees at some distance caught his eye. He watched it 
attentively, with gun at the ready, until, as it came a little 
nearer, he saw it was a wild hog common to the country, 
and which soon disappeared. Another came in sight. 
It made less impression upon him. He satisfied him- 
self it was a wild hog, rooting under the leaves, and 
eating the nuts that had fallen from the trees. Presently, 
off in another direction the leaves were rustled, and a 
third wild hog appeared. Being now used to these 
creatures, he gave but little attention ; but with gun still 
ready, he watched for other objects. The movements of 
the last animal, however, soon again engaged the man's 



OUR ENEMIES.— L SATAN. 47 

thoughts. It had been gradually approaching him 
while his attention had been withdrawn to other objects, 
and was now quite near. The minuteness with which 
he had observed the two first animals, to satisfy himself 
that they were real beasts, led him to observe a slight 
awkwardness in the movements of this one. He saw 
that it was a possibility that an Indian might be covered 
by the skin of an animal, and thus be approaching him. 
If it was an Indian, the safest thing for him to do was 
to shoot. If it was not an Indian, but simply a hog, 
and he should shoot, his comrades would jeer at him. 
He wisely resolved that he would run no risk ; and as 
the object continued its approach, he raised his rifle to 
his shoulder, took aim, and fired. With a bound and a 
yell, an Indian leaped to his feet, and fell back dead. 

One man had saved his life, and probably prevented 
the surprise of the garrison, by his watchfulness, where 
others had lost their lives by their carelessness. So the 
child of God must be ever on the alert, and guarded 
against the approaches of the Evil One. Draw the 
Word of God upon every object that approaches you in 
this dark world of sin. If the devil is in it, you may be 
sure the Word will expose him. Stripped of his disguise, 
he will jump up and howl, and will leave you. He 
has been once defeated by the Lord Jesus with the 
Word, He has never recovered from the defeat, and 
never will. In the name of Christ, with the same Word, 
we can ever have the victory. Without Christ, and in 
our own strength or wisdom, we shall suffer defeat. 

As examples of the use of the Word in overcoming 
the tempter, a friend of the writer, an Irishman, has told 
him how, shortly after his conversion, one night, on his 



48 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

return from a meeting where he had been speaking and 
dealing with inquirers up to a late hour, as he lay upon 
the lounge in his sitting-room for a few moments' rest, it 
seemed as though a voice spoke in his soul, " You have 
been preaching to-night about the joy of being a 
Christian. Where is your joy? You know you do not 
feel a bit of joy. You have not a bit of feeling of love now 
in your heart to Christ. You are a hypocrite, and not 
saved at all. You had better just give this all up." It 
seemed very dark to him for a minute. It was all true, so 
far as his feeling was concerned. He was so mentally 
exhausted that a reaction had set in, and he could not feel) 
and if he had left the issue right there, Satan would 
have had the victory. But presently, he reached for 
his Bible, and opened to John v. 24, the verse that 
had been used to bring him to Christ, and read, " Verily, 
verily, I say unto you, he that heareth My Word, and 
believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and 
shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from 
death unto life." Then, thanking God that the Word 
had not gone, though his feelings had, he says, " I just 
held the Bible, with my finger on that verse, under the 
sofa, for I knew the devil always lurked in the darkest 
places, and told him to just look at that, and go away and 
leave me alone ; and he did. I went to bed in peace." 

So a dear servant of the Lord in Scotland much 
used of God was brought into the light as to the 
assurance of faith by cannily cross-questioning a man 
not long converted, whose happy testimony that Christ 
had saved him, he had heard. " But," said he to the man, 
" do you never have doubts troubling you, as to whether 
your sins are certainly forgiven ? " 



OUR ENEMIES.— L SATAN, 49 

" Plenty of times/' said the man, " the devil comes 
around whispering his doubts." 

" Well, what do you do ? " 

" Do ? Why, I have no argument with him. I just 
go right to God's Word, and tell him I believe what 
God says, and that I don't believe him. Why, man, I 
believe if we stop to argue with the devil, he would 
make us doubt our own existence." 

Light broke in upon the mind of the inquirer as to 
the weapon to be used in meeting the adversary ; and 
he has since had the victory by faith. 

Martin Luther's views as to the personality and 
power of Satan, and the account of his spiritual wrestling 
with him, are well known. And there is nothing peculiar 
in Luther^s experience. Knox and the men of the 
Reformation all had the same. Ridley, Bunyan, Baxter, 
and the saints of their day, verily fought with real 
powers of darkness, and waxed valiant in the fight, made 
intense and earnest for God by the realization that the 
forces, working without them or within them, that 
opposed righteousness, were inspired by and in league 
with hell. 

An eminent servant of God in our own day has 
repeatedly said, " I have an increasing fear of Satan, and 
feel an increasing need, as God is using me in His 
service, of keeping closer and closer to Him who alone 
can keep me from Satan's power. He ever aims to draw 
away and use to God's dishonour those who have been 
brought nearest to Christ. He went right among the 
twelve to find one to betray Him, and another to deny 
Him ; and so when God is using us we should be doubly 
on our guard." 

4 



50 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

Billy Bray, the Cornish miner, whose rugged piety 
and real consistent consecration to Christ's service have 
been made a blessing to so many hundreds of God's 
children, gives much instruction, in his quaint way, as to 
how to treat the temptations of Satan. He says of 
himself that, one day, when he was a little down-hearted, 
he stood upon the brink of a coal-pit; and some one 
seemed to say, " Now, Billy, just throw yourself down 
there and be rid of all your trouble." He knew in a 
minute who it was, and, drawing back, said, " Oh no, 
Satan, you can just throw yourself down there. That is 
your way home; but I am going to my home in a 
different direction." Another time he tells us that his 
crop of potatoes turned out poorly ; and as he was digging 
them in the fall, Satan was at his elbow, and said, 
" There, Billy, isn't that poor pay for serving your Father 
the way you have all the year ? Just see those small 
potatoes." He stopped his hoeing, and replied, " Ah, 
Satan, at it again, talking against my Father ; bless His 
name. Why, when I served you, I didn't get any 
potatoes at all. What are you talking against Father 
for ? " And on he went hoeing and praising the Lord 
for small potatoes. A valuable lesson for us all. 

Satan says of every child of God, as he did of old of 
Job, " Doth he serve God for nought V And we must 
have the testing of being brought to small potatoes that 
the reality of our faith may be shown, God vindicated, 
and Satan rebuked. 

So, for the honour of our blessed God, and for the 
glory of our dear Redeemer, let us " resist the devil " in 
his attempts to poison our mind with false doctrines, 
denying God's Word ; in his solicitations to the flesh to 



OUR ENEMIES,— L SATAN. 51 

yield to that which would be disobedient to the Word ; 
in his insiduous efforts to lead us, as Christians, into 
world-conformity that would compromise the Word. 

And let the young Christian remember, whence 
come the evil thoughts that often dart through the mind 
— sometimes even when he is engaged in the most 
holy exercises — and let him not be unduly cast down 
because of these evil suggestions. He who tempted our 
Lord is permitted to tempt us. We are not held as 
responsible for wicked thoughts, unless the evil thought 
is harboured and cherished in the breast, and the sinful 
suggestion welcomed and delighted in. As an old 
writer has said : " We cannot hinder the birds flying over 
us, and sometimes unawares lighting upon our heads ; 
but we can hinder their building nests in our hair: and 
so, although we cannot hinder Satan suggesting the 
most awful, blaspheming, vile, and unbelieving thoughts 
to our minds, we can hinder their entrance into our 
hearts by the simple cry to Jesus, and the turning of the 
mind to Him." " Look unto Me, and be ye saved," is a 
precious promise to plead when thus assaulted. " Resist 
the devil " in the name of Jesus, and he will flee from 
you. 




ja LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 



mtx matrhfuU 

Ever watchful, on thy guard, 
Child of God, thy way pursue ; 

Holding fast the gleaming sword, 
Where the hosts of hell may view. 

Keep thy Leader e'er in sight, 
From His footsteps never stray ; 

Turn not to the left or right. 

Onward, upward, make thy way ! 

Though thy dearest friend entreat, 
Know that Satan 's surely there, 

If in sin, however sweet. 
Thou art asked to have a share. 

Count that man thy direst foe. 

Though affection he profess, 
If he seek to have thee go 

Where God's will thou must transgress. 

Hate the devil, fear his power. 

For deliverance daily pray ; 
Trust in Christ from hour to hour, 

Make His promises thy stay. 



CHAPTER IX. 



THE WORLD. 

"Love not the world, neither the thinp^s that are in the world." 
(i John ii. 15.) 




HE attention has already been called to the 
testimony of God's Word that the devil is 
the god of this world, its prince, and its 
ruler ; and that " the world lieth in the Evil 
One'^ (i John v. 19, R.V.). This would be sufficient to 
indicate the imperative necessity of one chosen by the 
Lord Jesus Christ to be His child being separated from 
the world. He Himself has said, " They are not of the 
world, even as I am not of the world " (John xvii. 16). 
" If ye were of the world, the world would love his own ; 
but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen 
you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you " 
(John XV. 19). 

Now the " world " as here spoken of does not mean 
the material earth on which we live, with its mountains 
and hills, valleys and plains, oceans and lakes, rivers and 
brooks ; with its trees, fruits, and flowers : these are all 
good, and created for man's good, in gratification of the 
physical senses to which they are adapted, and for which 
they were created. But it is a generic term, describing the 
spirit of those who, living in this world, live for this alone _ 



54 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

and make the gratifications of their desires for things 
here the end of their being, with no recognition of God's 
claims upon them, and no care for their souls. 

I John ii. 1 6 speaks of this spirit of worldliness, under 
the term of "the world," and describes what it means as 
being "the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and 
the pride of life!' Now the vast majority of the people 
on this earth are living under the power of these three 
things ; and they are said in Scripture to " love the world*^ 
for this spirit is characteristic of the world. The Chris- 
tian lives surrounded by this atmosphere. He is brought 
into contact with it upon every side. It controls the 
politics, the society, the literature, the amusements, and 
the popular religion of our age, as it has of every age 
since Christ was crucified. But, although surrounded by 
it, the Christian is to keep from breathing it : he is to live 
as one already in Heaven, looking down upon earth ; his 
life, his joy, his citizenship, are up yonder. A man stand- 
ing erect on the earth breathes air of a purer quality 
than that breathed by the insects that crawl at his feet ; 
so the man risen with Christ should stand erect as a new 
man in Christ Jesus, and breathe the air of Heaven. 
Vital connection with Christ by faith,and the maintenance 
of that connection by believing prayer and communion 
through God's Word, alone enable him to do this. If 
believing fellowship with Christ is interrupted, the air of 
Heaven ceases to flow around him ; he grovels in earthly 
things, and drinks in the atmosphere of this world. " If 
ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are 
above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 
Set your affection on things above, and not on things 
on the earth" (Col. iii. i, 2). 



THE WORLD. 55- 

This recognition of the enmity of the world is of 
the utmost importance to the young Christian. By 
enmity, it is not to be understood that the world will 
always persecute, and war in this way against the 
Christian. But it rather means that the distinctive 
spirit of the world, godlessness and selfishness, is antago- 
nistic and opposed to the Spirit of God ; so that when- 
ever and wherever a child of God compromises in any 
way with the world, he is certain to receive injury 
thereby. This is the meaning of the words, " The 
friendship of the world is enmity with God : whosoever 
therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of 
God " (Jas. iv. 4). So that it is absolutely certain that 
if a man is w^hoUy yielded to God, and has the purpose 
of pleasing God in his walk on the earth, he will be 
brought to separate himself from that which is dis- 
tinctively and distinctly of the world. He will be in 
the world as the ship is in the sea ; but the world is not 
to be in him, as the sea is not in the ship. 

We are to make Jesus our example. He did not 
withdraw from the world, but mingled freely with all 
classes of men, going where He was invited ; but ever 
taking advantage of the opportunities offered Him by 
thus mingling with the people, to teach them of God 
and do them good. His motive in all things was to 
please the Father, He could say truthfully, " I do always 
those things that please Him " (John viii. 29). We are 
told that, " as the Father sent Him into the world, even . 
so has He sent us into the world " (John xvii. 18). 

We are not to withdraw from the world as recluses, 
but to mingle with our fellow-men, and seek in all ways 
to lead them Godward. We are to own the ties of 



.36 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY, 

family and the ties of country, and to have sympathy 
for all humanity, even as we have Him for our example. 
He, when on earth, was a familiar guest in the homes 
of the people. He took the little children up in His 
arms and blessed them. He was present at the mar- 
riage feast and in the house of mourning. He went 
regularly to the feasts at Jerusalem, and in all places and 
at all times was ever accessible to and in sympathy with 
man. But in doing this He ever retained His character 
as a heavenly Man. 

In the home where He was the guest, whether it was 
the house of Martha, of Simon, or of Zacchaeus, He led 
the conversation and spoke of God. We cannot con- 
ceive that He ever occupied His precious time in talking 
with Martha and Mary about Herod's last ball, or the 
theatrical entertai7i77ients and opei^atic performances at 
the Jerusalem theatre, or gossiped with them about 
the latest Roman fashions or the last scandal at Herod's 
palace. 

Nor would He be led by Simon and the Pharisees 
to spend the dinner-hour in discussing ecclesiastical 
politics and criticising the latest speeches in the San- 
hedrim. Nor by Zacchaeus, into a calculation as to the 
future course of the stock market and the movements 
in the commercial world. 

Filled with love and benevolence, a citizen of Heaven, 
with a vision that swept eternity. He moved here below, 
a Man among men ; but a heavenly-minded Man- 
never allowing Himself to be dragged down by men 
to a zvorldly level, but ever seeking to lift up the men of 
the world to the plain of heavenly things where He 
abode. Filled with the love to the Father, He made 



THE WORLD. 57 

the most common actions of daily life beautiful and 
divine in character by the manifestation of a divine 
Spirit in their performance He " pleased not Himself," 
but was separated from the world as far as Heaven 
is from earth, in the spirit of His mind, by the motive 
that ever governed Him — to please God His Father. 
With Him thus presented as our Example, how simple 
the path is made for us to tread as we go through this 
world ! He has left us an example, indeed ; and for the 
distinct purpose — *' that we should follow His steps." 

It is not of special use to present a series of specific 
rules, and to particularize as to the various things that a 
Christian is called to give up and separate from in 
giving up " the world." Rules might be prepared, and, 
indeed, have been, of the most ascetic character; and 
men and women have conformed to them, and yet have 
utterly failed in the spirit of their minds in giving up the 
world. 

The Lord does not call our attention so much to the 
outward conformity to any particular line of conduct, 
but rather insists continually and emphatically upon the 
development of the inward principle of love to God — a 
love that shall be real^ and that shall lead to a real sur- 
render of our will heartily and honestly to seek, and 
delight, to please Him. This secured, the conduct will 
follow, and the Lord be honoured in all that we do. 

There is many a man who is an ascetic in matters of 
eating, and drinking, and dressing, but thoroughly selfish 
and unlovely in the temper of his mind — un-Christ- 
like in his home, and uncharitable among his fellow- 
men. He is not at all separated from the world, in the 
Christ-taught sense. There is many a woman who would 



S8 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY, 

be shocked at the idea of going to a theatre, or to a ball, 
or drinking wine, or playing cards, but who may be thor- 
oughly Pharisaical in giving up these things, regarding 
herself as better than others in doing it, and be in heart 
not at all nearer to God by her thus abstaining from what 
indeed may be properly considered as forms of worldliness 
and an injury to spiritual life. But the motive in giving up 
these things may never have been right. The heart may 
not be surrendered to God. The will in other things may 
not be sanctified. An unhappy temper is not curbed ; a 
-jealous disposition not resisted ; selfishness in little things 
not sought to be overcome ; and the daily home-life is 
made unhappy for herself and those around her. With 
all that she thinks she has given up of the world, she is 
essentially a worldly woman ; for she cannot be said to 
be a Christ-like woman. Our Lord might say of such : 
^* These ought she to have done, and not to leave the 
other undone." 

So let us be careful in laying down rules, and 
.setting up our co7zscience as the standard of judgment 
for our fellow-believers, where the Word of God gives no 
specific directions, but leaves to the individual the appli- 
cation oi general principles. 

Where there is the true union based upon affection 
and confidence between husband and wife, a husband 
never would think of writing out niles as to how the 
wife was to act in her association with one class of people 
who were his avowed enemies, and who despised him and 
his ways ; and towards another class who were his avowed 
friends, and loved him and his wavs. The love in the 
heart of the wife would settle all that. The husband 
would simply have to say, " My dear, such a class are 



THE WORLD, 59 

my enemies ; and such a class are my friends. I leave it 
entirely to you what your attitude shall be towards them. 
My enemies may show you attentions, and invite you to 
their places of pleasure and enjoyment. They will never 
invite me with you. They do not wish my presence. 
They do not expect that you — if you associate with 
them — should speak of me, or regret my absence. I 
cannot lay down definite instructions for you, not to 
recognize them at all. There are times and places where 
you must needs meet them, and it is my desire that you 
should show them kindness in all ways consistent with 
honour to my name. I leave it to your affection entirely^ 
as to the nature of your association with them." 

So Christ has left His Church upon this earth with 
the message, " Ye know that the world hated Me ; " and 
" They hated Me without a cause." " As the Father 
hath sent Me into the world, even so have I also sent 
you into the world." Continue ministering to them in 
My name. Show them kindness and love. " Love 
your enemies ; do good to them that hate you ; and pray 
for them tliat despitefully use you and persecute you." 
Try and win them to better thoughts of Me, your Lord 
and Master, and seek to bring them to accept My love 
for them. But, in all your relations to them, remember 
you are My Bride, My loved and chosen one. I leave to 
you the honour of My name. Let that name "be glori- 
fied in you," as " ye shine as lights in the world, holding 
forth the Word of life." Shall not this confidence of 
Christ in the affection of His Bride be honoured^ so far 
as the reader is concerned } 

May God give grace, and may the love of Christ be 
shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost, that we 



6o LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

may be of those who shall " count all things but loss 
for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our 
Lord," and be found joyfully marching up in line in the 
ranks of the noble procession whose spiritual vision has 
pierced beyond the clouds of this world, and beheld " a 
city which hath foundations, whose maker and builder is 
God," and with their eyes upon that city have " confessed 
that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." 

Let us not expect or look for anything contrary to 
the Word of our Lord, "in the world ye shall have 
tribulation," or to be anything else on this earth but 
strangers and pilgrims, during this period of the rejec- 
tion of Christ. 

Let not the young disciple be deceived. The world 
is still the enemy of God, and of His Christ. There is not 
a nation on earth that would vote intelligently to-day for 
Christ to come and reign. The advance of civilization 
over the globe is not Christianity, but, in many of its 
features is most decidedly antagonistic and opposed to 
Christianity, and is plainly spoken of in the Word of 
God as a preparation for the Anti-Christ, who will be 
permitted for a time to persecute God's people, and 
then " be consumed with the spirit of His mouth, 
and destroyed with the brightness of His coming " 
(2 Thess. ii. 8). 

Our Saviour has plainly told us what the condition 
of the world shall be at His second coming. " As it was 
in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of 
the Son of Man " (Luke xvii. 26). " And take heed to 
yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged 
with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, 
and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a 



THE WORLD. 6i 

snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of 
the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, 
that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these 
things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the 
Son of Man " (Luke xxi. 34 — 36). 

And so the attitude of every child of God is to 
continue to be that of the saints in Thcssalonica, to- 
wards " this present evil world ;" for, although the end 
is near, the Lord is not yet come. 

" Ye turned to God from idols, to serve the living 
and true God ; and to wait for His Son from Heaven, 
whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, which 
delivered us from the wrath which is coming *' (i Thess. 
i. 9, 10, lit). 

If we keep in this attitude, and where we can 
sincerely offer the Spirit-taught prayer of Rev. xxii. 20 : 
" Amen : even so come. Lord Jesus," the last prayer in 
the Bible, we shall be kept separate from the world. 

2 Pet. i. 10, II, 16 — " Wherefore the rather, brethren, 
give diligence to make your calling and election sure : 
for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall. For so an 
entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into 
the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus 
Christ. . . . For we have not followed cunningly devised 
fables, when we made known unto you the power and 
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses 
of His majesty." 

I Pet. iii. 10 — 14 — "But the day of the Lord will 
come as a thief in the night ; in the which the heavens 
shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements 
shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the 
works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then 



62 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY, 

that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of 
persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and god- 
liness ; looking for and hasting unto the coming of the 
day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be 
dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat ! 
Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new 
heavens and a newearth, wherein d we] leth righteousness. 
Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, 
be diligent that ye may be found of Him in peace, 
without spot, and blameless." 

"^tix % am ^oto l^abg* 

(2 Tim. iv. 6, 7.) 

Attune your harps, ye heav'nly choir, 

On high the joy proclaim, 
Of one for whom " to Uve " was " Christ,' 

For whom " to die " was " gain." 

The " chief of sinners " Christ has sav'd, 

And as He homeward brings 
This wondrous trophy of His love, 

The willing captive sings. 

Ye saints on earth the words attend. 

Oh, may they thrill each heart, 
That we with zeal our race may run, 

And sing when we depart. 

May we, as dead to things below, 

In Christ, our Saviour, live ; 
And when by Him we, too, are called, 

May we this witness give. 



» 




CHAPTER X. 
CONFORMITY TO THE WORLD. 

" Be not conformed to this world ; but be ye transformed by 
the renewing of your mind." — Rom. xii. 2. 

T a weekly prayer meeting, where ** Sepa- 
ration from the world, and consecration 
to God," had been presented as the topic 
for consideration, a gentleman related the 
following experience: 

" I came to this city several years ago a profess- 
ing Christian. I was a member of such a church, a 
regular attendant at the prayer meeting, a teacher in 
the Sunday school, and maintained daily worship in 
my family. But gradually I became engrossed in busi- 
ness ; and the ambition to be rich took possession 
of me. I gave up my Sunday school class — too tired 
when Sunday came to attend to it; and the prayer 
meeting was neglected for the same reason. Soon family 
worship was also dropped, and I went on for some years 
a merely nominal Christian, attending church on Sunday, 
but without any real communion with God, and without 
any real happiness of soul. God often spoke to me, and 
I expected His chastening hand to come in some way. 
At last it came. I had but one child — a little daughter, 
the idol of my heart. One evening I was unexpectedly 
at home. My business usually occupied my evenings, 



64 LIFE, WARFARE AND VICTORY. 

and I was very little with my family ; and they had not 
looked for my coming. My little daughter, much to my 
annoyance, was absent ; and when her mother told me 
she had permitted her to go into a neighbour's for an hour, 
I was unreasonably angry, and sent for her, and declared 
that if she went there again I should punish her. 

" Several weeks after this I was again unexpectedly 
at home ; and again my little girl was away. My wife 
was much troubled in having to tell me that, being 
quite sure that I had no real objection to her going into 
our neighbour's, where she was under the very best 
influence — and not thinking I should be home — she had 
allowed her to go. I sent for the little girl, and chas- 
tised her. Just before going to her room she came, and 
between her sobs, said, ' Papa, I am sorry I disobeyed 
you. I thought perhaps you would be willing if mamma 
was. And Mr. Smith prays with his children every 
night ; and I went in to pray for you, papa.' I choked, 
but could not say a word, as I kissed and sent her away. 
The next day my little girl was laid up with scarlet fever; 
and in three weeks I followed her little body to the 
grave. I came back to the house, I trust, a humbled, 
chastened man. My family altar was again erected, my 
place in the prayer meeting again filled ; and, by God's 
help, I purpose henceforth to live for Him. But, my 
friends, my getting into the world, and what it has cost 
me, is a sad memory. May God lead you to accept His 
will without waiting for the discipline." 

How many a child of God could give a similar 
experience, and tell of the bitterness of soul that has 
come from going down into the world ! The Word of 
God must be our guide, and ho fully follozvedy if we would 



CONFORMITY TO THE WORLD. 05 

be safe. Paul's position is the position for all who 
would have the victory over the world. " The world is 
crucified unto me, and I unto the world," Made dead, 
or set one side in the place of shame. The v/orld 
cannot get to us without passing the Cross. This it will 
never do. And we are safe from. the world if the Cross 
is kept between us and it. We, on the other hand, can 
only get to the world by passing the Cross ; and this to 
our humbling, be it said, our carnal nature has often led 
us to do. We have given up the world ; and yet we cling 
to it. We have known that we should avoid its tempta- 
tions ; and yet we have been inclined to get near enough 
to peek and see what they were : like a boy who could 
not go to the circus, but climbed a tree to see the 
procession. 

Our rule should be, not to see how near we can live 
to the world and still keep the name of Christian, but, 
on the contrary, to keep just as far away as possible^ 
*^ avoiding the appearance of evil." Not praying " lead 
us not into temptation," and then going right into 
temptation with our eyes open. The pilot of a United 
States revenue cutter was asked if he knew all the rocks 
along the coast where he sailed. He replied, *' No ; it is 
only necessary to know where there are no rocks." 
There could not be a more excellent answer to a soul 
troubled by trying to decide, from day to day, as to wJiat 
is^ and what is not conformity to the world. Whole- 
hearted consecration to Christ, and the settled purpose 
to please Him in all things, will bring us into deep water 
where there are no rocks, i/^^-heartedness and policy^ 
which Thomas Fuller says, "consists in serving God m 
such a manner as not to offend the devil," takes the soul 

5 



66 LIFE, V/ARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

into very shallow water indeed, with rocks on every 
hand. 

O my brother, get out into the channel, and keep 
there. You will steer straight if you will keep " looking 
unto Jesus ;" and the blood-red buoys anchored along 
the track will show you where there is deep water. 
Do not venture to leave the course that they mark, how- 
ever tortuous the channel or winding your way : you 
will surely run aground if you try to make short cuts. 
And do not think you gain by keeping near the edge of the 
channel. The middle is the safest, and where you will 
make the easiest progress. " How near could you drive 
my carriage to the edge of a precipice } " was the 
question asked by a gentleman to various applicants for 
the position of coachman. Different distances, all 
perilously near^ were given. At last, a careful-looking 
man said, " Sir, I should keep just as far from it as the 
road would allow." ** You are my man," was the reply ; 
and the adventurous applicants were dismissed. 

Surely, we can see the wisdom of this. Why cannot 
we see like wisdom in being out and out Christians, and 
keeping as far from the spirit of the world as possible as 
we pass on our way through it. There is really no con- 
sistency in drawing the line at all as Christians, only as 
we draw it, or rather recognize it as already drawn /^r/^j-, 
according to God's Word. " Have 7to felloivsliip with the 
unfruitful works of darkness" (Eph. v. ii). "The very 
God of peace sanctify you wholly'' (i Thess. v. 23). 
" Love not the world, neither the things that arc iii the 
world. . . . For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, 
and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of 
the Father, but is of the world " ( I John ii. 15, 16). 



CONFORMITY TO THE WORLD. 67 

"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye sepa- 
rate, saith the Lord " (2 Cor. vi. 17). 

The folly of trying to draw a line between things 
distinctively worldly and godless, some of which a 
Christian can consistently retain, and others which he 
ought to give up, is shown by the remark of a fashion- 
able lady, who, as a professed Christian, had had her 
attention called to the fact that there was so little 
marked difference between Christians and the world. 
She admitted it, and upon reflection said, " Yes, certainly 
there should be soine difference. We have been just like 
the world ; and I am determined from this time to make 
a distinction. I shall give up French opera^ English 
and Italian, with theatres, balls, and other adjuncts of a 
fashionable life, she retained. 

Any compromise must in the very nature of the case 
partake of something of the same absurdity. It is very 
doubtful whether this lady succeeded even in keeping 
away from French opera. The only way by which she 
could succeed would be to get out of its atmosphere by 
an entire consecration to God, and a coming clean out 
from all worldliness of spirit by a living fellowship with a 
living Saviour. If asked upon what ground she gave up 
French opera, she would probably say to please God, 
who taught us in His Word to be separate from the world. 
What consistency could there then be with this premise 
established, and one's obligation to please God recognized^ 
in retaining anything distinctively worldly? Like all 
attempts to compromise with evil in the individual heart 
and life, it w^as scripturally indefensible, and could lead 
to nothing permanently good in results. 

The writer would most earnestly and affectionately 



68 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

urge upon young converts to treat this subject with care- 
ful and solemn reflection, and to be on their guard con- 
stantly against those influences around about them that 
would lead them into conformity to the world. The 
temptations will come from unexpected quarters, and 
with fearful power. 

The ambition of parents and relatives will often'^ead 
them to urge a young woman to give herself in marriage 
to a godless man, whose only claim is his position and 
possessions in this world. A young man, from the same 
ambition, or foolishly allowing himself to be ensnared 
by outward attractions, will marry an unconverted 
woman, and be dragged along into the world — becoming 
a worldling with the worldling he has married, or her 
unhappy attendant into the godless society she loves. 

The evil of a Christian man or woman uniting them- 
selves in marriage to one who is not in sympathy with 
them in having Christ, and being willing to live for 
Christ, cannot be exaggerated. " How can two walk 
together unless they be agreed } " Dear young people, 
do not treat this lightly. The most solemn act of life 
is the entering the marriage relation. Pray much over 
any decision you are called to make in reference to it. 
The large number of Christians who are led into the 
world, and lose their testimony for Christ in this way ; 
the unhappy homes all around us ; the unhappy wives 
and mothers we meet on every hand; the increasing 
prevalence of divorce and disgraceful separation — lead us 
to speak most earnestly upon this subject. You incur 
a fearful risk in letting inclination lead you into dis- 
obedience to God in this matter. Do not be deceived. 
If your influence over a person you love is not sufficient 



CONFORMITY TO THE WORLD 69 

to lead them to Christ before marriage, you have no 
reason to expect that it will be after marriage. 

A young Christian woman of B was sought 

in marriage by a thorough man of the world. She enter- 
tained his proposals, though w^arned by a faithful pastor 
of her danger. She was confident that after she was 
married she should succeed in turning him to God. 
He had promised her that he would try and be a 
Christian if she would marry him. The marriage took 
place ; and the week after the young wife called to talk 
with her pastor about going to the theatre with her 
husband. He very much wished her to go, and pro- 
mised, if she would go with him to the theatre^ he would 
come with her to the prayer-meeting. Again she was 
faithfully told that her influence for good over her hus- 
band must come from constant adherence to her principles, 
and not in weakly yielding them. She, notwithstand- 
ing, did yield, and accompanied her husband. He 
7iever came with her to the prayer-meeting ; and after 
a short time her own attendance ceased, and she soon 
gave up all hope that she was a Christian, and entered 
with her husband upon a life of worldly dissipation, 
which terminated, after a few years, in a most unhappy 
separation. ^ 

It is a great trial to young Christians to be looked 
upon as ''''saints'^' or '^ pecnliar and oldfashioned'' and 
to be sneered at or laughed at by those around them — 
the little circle that constitutes their world. But, this is 
just the cross-bearing that we of the present generation 
are called upon to suffer for Christ. In otlier genera- 
tions it has been the faggot, the sword, and the rack. 
In ours, it is the resisting of one's flesh and blood, and 



70 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

the opposition from those who themselves profess the 
name of Christ, that constitutes the greatest trial of the 
thoroughly-in-earnest disciple. 

A young lady in a fashionable home had been 
brought to Christ, and had been enabled for some years, 
amid much opposition, to faithfully witness for Him. 
The attention she attracted by refusing to do what she 
considered dishonouring to her Lord, and by her speak- 
ing of Christ to her unconverted friends, was often 
painful to her ; and once, when repulsed and wounded 
in an effort of this kind, she for a time lost heart, and 
felt she should have to give up being a consecrated 
Christian. Just at this time she was invited to visit 
friends whom she had never seen, and who knew but 
littleof her ; and she resolved, that while there she would 
not openly speak of her Saviour, or put herself in a 
position to be noticed as peculiarly religious. Her visit 
passed away ; and, not happily to herself, she was enabled 
to keep her resolution. Upon the day of her leaving 
for home, a most attractive and accomplished lady, a 
fashionable woman of society, while walking alone with 
her, suddenly asked her, " Where is your sister, and 
why did she not come here? I mean your relip;iov.s 
sister, the one who is known as the ^religious Miss J.' 
It was because I heard that she was to be here that I 
too accepted an invitation to come and spend the holi- 
day. I am tired of the empty, unsatisfying, life I am 
leading, and have longed to talk with a real Christian." 

With shame and confusion the faithless witness was 
obliged to confess that she had no sister ; that she was 
the one who had been sometimes called the '' religious 
Miss J.," and that sliavie of the badge, that should have 



CONFORMITY TO THE WORLD. ^\ 

been borne gladly for her Saviour, had kept her silent. A 
precious opportunity to lead a weary soul to the Master 
had been lost. But let us trust the lesson was not in 
vain ; and that a fresh consecration was witnessed, with 
an increased devotion manifested from the experience 
thus sadly gained. " It is a small matter with me to be 
judged of man's judgment," said the faithful Apostle. 
Would to God we could all as truthfully say the same ! 
If we sazv Christ as he did, we could. " To be approved 
of Christ" was his burning, consuming ambition. With 
this in view he did not care what the world thought of 
him. Why should he ? And why should we ? One is 
our Master, even Christ. 

May grace be given to each of us to know Him, and 
to enter into the joyous devotion of the Apostle, who, 
knowing Christ, gladly surrendered all to Him, and 
gloried in saying, " Whose I am, and whom I serve." 
'* For me to live is Christ." A dear companion of the 
writer, for three years a true yoke-fellow in Evangelistic 
work, one extremely cold winter evening, as he joined 
him in a railway train, to take his last journey on 
earth in the service of his Master, said pleasantly, " I 
got a good illustration from the man at the gate as I 
came on to the train. It is very cold, and every one was 
grumbling, and some abusing him, as he made them all 
get their tickets out and show them before they could 
get past. I said to him, * You don't seem to be very 
popular around here.' * If I am popular with the man 
that put me here it is all that I want,^ was his reply." 
" Ah," said this dear friend, " if we could go through this 
world, keeping the same thought towards Christ, what a 
straight path we should make ! " 



72 



LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 



" Popular with one Man." May this be our ambition, 
the only ambition the Gospel enjoins. "Wherefore also 
we are ambitious, whether at home or absent, to be well- 
pleasing unto Him " (2 Cor. v. 9. R.V. marg,). 

If we please Him we cannot please the world ; and if 
we please the world we cannot please Him. 

Dear child of God, which is your ambition ? 



T\it ^0to t0 fkas^ hvA (^nt. 



" From all its cares my heart retires, 
I 've now to please but One ; 
Though deep and boundless my 
desires, 
I 've now to please but One. 
My will to Him I gladly bow, 
With Him is all my business now, 
Myself at His dear feet laid low : 
I 've now to please but One. 

'• Christ is my way, my truth, my life, 
I 've now to please but One ; 
The end of sorrow, doubt, and 
strife, 
I 've now to please but One. 
My Lord, in love I look to Thee, 
Child-like attend what Thou wilt 

say, 
Go forth and toil while yet 'tis day, 
I 've now to please but One. 



" Redeemed and saved by Christ the 
Lord, 
I *ve now to please but One ; 
He bought me with His precious 
blood, 
I 've now to please but One. 
Out of this world by Jesus drawn, 
My eye on Him, and Him alone, 
In simple trust I follow on : 
I 've now to please but One. 

*' In this my happy lot is cast, 
I 've now to please but One ; 
In gardens fair, or deserts waste, 

I 've now to please but One. 
Though shame and poverty be 

mine, 
Or prosperous suns upon me shine, 
On Jesus I will still recline : 
I 've now to please but One," 



CHAPTER XL 



THE FLESH. 

" For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no 

good thing."— Rom. vii. i8. 
" Have no co^ifidence in the flesh." — Phil. iii. 3. 




HESE passages are both applied to a 
believing, regenerated man. None but a 
regenerated man could know, or would 
admit the statement of the first passage; 
and none but a regenerated man could obey the exhorta- 
tion of the second. The truth implied in the passages is 
very important, for it establishes the fact that there is 
inside the Christian man the existence of an enemy ; and 
an enemy inside the citadel is far more dangerous than 
an enemy outside. And if that enemy can disguise 
himself, or hide his real character so as to be treated as a 
friend — like Hushai with Absalom — the more dangerous 
does he become. Happy is that man who has learned of the 
evil of his own heart enough to be afraid of and distrust 
himself. The wisest words Mr. Moody ever uttered 
were, " The worst man that ever crossed my path is 
D. L. Moody, the old man. I have had more trouble 
with him than with all the world beside." Every child 
of God knows what this means — or will know before his 



74 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

life IS over — and can heartily say the same of himself or 
herself 

Th^Jlesh is the most dangerous enemy the new man 
has to contend with — always has been, and always will 
be. Bunyan's "Holy War" describes his insidious 
approaches and his entrance through " eye gate " and 
" ear gate " into the citadel of the Soul, and the havoc 
there wrought by his entrance. How important that 
the young Christian should be able to recognize and 
identify this enemy, and be warned from making any 
truce or coming to any terms with him. Like the warfare 
of the children of Israel with Amalek that was to never 
cease, but to continue unto the latest generation ; so the 
Christian must war continually against the flesh. If he 
spare it, as Saul the king did Agag, permitting him to 
walk delicately, and say, " Surely the bitterness of death 
is past " (i Sam. xv. 32) — then he may be sure that the 
flesh will rob him of his crown, even as an Amalekite 
robbed Saul upon the field of Gilboa (2 Sam. i. 8 — 10). 

That the believer may identify and know the nature 
of this enemy, and be on his guard against him, it is 
simply necessary to follow the teaching of the Word of 
God, and see him as there described from Genesis to 
Revelation, called in various places, "The first man," 
" The first Adam," " The old man," " The natural man," 
" Evil generation," "Corruption," " The flesh," " Me," " I." 
All meaning the corrupt human nature we all possess. 

Let the reader carefully read the following passages 
and see himself m his corrupted humanity, inherited from 
a fallen progenitor (in whose fall iho fotmtaiii of man's 
being was poisoned), through a long line of sinful ances- 
tors, whose individual lives have swollen the stream of 



THE FLESH. 75 

wickedness that now flows through his own veins. Gen. 
V. I — 3 ; vi. 5 and 13 ; Ps. Hii. 1 — 3 ; Isa. i. 4 — 6 ; Ixiv. 6; 
Jer. xvii.9 ; Matt. xv. 18, 19 ; xxiii. 33 ; Rom. i. 21 — 32 ; 
iii. 9 — 18 ; I Cor. ii. 14; Gal. v. 19—21 ; Eph. li. i — 3. 

Let not the reader be deceived upon this subject. 
His own natural heart of conceit, and pride, and vanity, 
will be at enmity with this description. The flesh does 
not like to be photographed by God's Word in its true 
characteristics. Like the unknovv^n murderer in Berlin, 
who at each effort of the officers to photograph him so 
worked and distorted his features that the resemblance 
w^as a very imperfect one ; so the flesh tries to disguise 
its evil propensities and cover up its real properties by 
culture, or by forms of religion affecting simply the out- 
ward appearance, and not touching or changing the 
inward man, whose identity ever remains, for "that 
which is born of the flesh is flesh." 

Nicodemus, to w^hom the words, "that which is born 
of the flesh \s fleshy' were spoken, had to recognize his 
photograph there in the "Rogues' Gallery," with all the 
rest of us of the family of Adam. And it was only by 
admitting that it was he himself, that he could have 
part in the salvation sent by God for shifters — and for 
none else. 

" I see the doctrine. It certainly is in the Bible," said 
D'Aubigne, when a student at Geneva, to Robert Hal- 
dane, as the latter opened up to him the subject of man's 
corruption by nature, from the epistle to the Romans. 

" Yes," said the faithful man of God, " you see it in 
God's Word] but do you now see it in your ozvn heart 7'^ 

The arrow of conviction went home with this 
question ; and the young student was led to Christ. 



76 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

In contrast with these passages, describing the family 
o{\h^ first Adam^ of which all vjho are born into this 
world are members, we would place for future reference 
and careful study the following passages describing the 
family of the second Adam, of which none are members 
until Jesus Christ is received into the heart as Lord and 
Saviour. " As we (Christians) have borne the image of 
the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 
The first man is of the earth, earthy ; the second 7nan is 
the Lord from heaven." So i Cor. xv. 47 50 : see also 
John iii. 3, S ; John i. 12—14, 16 j James i. 18; i Peter 
i. 3,23—25; Gal. iv.4— 7. 

Now, from these passages, we believe that the Word 
of God teaches that the work of the Holy Spirit in 
regeneration is not to change the nature of the flesh 
at all ; but to implant a 7iew nature — Christ formed 
within by the Holy Spirit, in the power of which 
the believer does indeed deny the flesh, and is no 
longer living as minding the flesh. But the flesh is 
still there, unchangeably evil in its nattire, with no im- 
provement to be looked for in it, and the safety of the 
believer consisting in keeping it in the place of death. 
" Putting on the Lord Jesus Christ, and making no 
provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof" (Rom. 
xiii. 14). 

The failure to see this, must, in the nature of the case, 
place the child of God in distress and spiritual difficulty. 
He will either be resting in the idea that at conversion 
his flesh was instantaneously changed, and all of its evil 
desires and bad propensities for ever eradicated ; or, he 
will believe that a change was commenced in the nature 
of the flesh, which is to go on until all sin is eradicated, 



THE FLESH, 77 

and the flesh is made perfectly holy by the gradual 
work of sanctification. 

Under the first theory, that I am practically and for 
ever delivered from the flesh — by its nature being changed 
in my regeneration, and that no sin is left in me — I shall 
not expect any warfare with it, and shall not regard it 
longer as an enemy. The danger of the position is 
obvious. The enmity of the fleshy the natural heart, will 
manifest itself, as the new-born soul is led by the Spirit 
to " deny ungodliness, and worldly lusts ; and to live 
soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world " 
(Titus ii. 12). And when it manifests itself, and lustings 
towards evil are discovered in the heart, darkness of soul 
follows : and the tempted, or overcome one, seeing sin is 
still within, will either give up his hope altogether and 
abandon himself to the rule of sin, or will seek a second 
regeneration, as if the first had not been real ; and with 
solemn vows never to sin again, will make a new start. 

Holding the same theory^ in this second start, that 
a genuine conversion changes the nature of the flesh, he 
is very soon again made painfully aware that sin is still 
in his members, and evil lustings in his heart ; and he 
is again in despair. So he will go on in this way, if a 
real child of God, holding on to Christ, falling, and 
getting (as he thinks), born again at regular intervals, but 
having much unhappy spiritual experience, and being 
made a stumbling block to others by his repeated back- 
slidings and denials of Christ. 

This is the experience of one who is disposed to be 
real and honest with his own soul, and who takes God's 
view of what sin is. Unhappily, with the real love of sin 
that clings to our deceitful hearts, we are all always in 



78 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

dcm^er of lowering the standard as to sin, and condoning 
its evil. So the young convert, who has been led to believe 
that there is no longer any sin in him, in the sense that 
all tke thoughts of his mind, and the desires of his heart, 
ds^ perfectly pleasing to God, is in terrible danger — when 
lustings to evil do arise in his heart — of not regarding 
them as sinful. He judges them by his own consciousness 
and feeling, instead of God's Word. He argues " God has 
taken away all evil and wrong desires from me, and given 
me a perfectly clean heart; and I have no sin. So this, 
that I so strongly want to do, cannot be sin. I am wholly 
led by the Spirit ; and the Spirit must be leading me to 
do this." And the temptation is yielded to, and a life of 
self-deception and hypocrisy is entered upon ; sin allowed, 
and sin indulged; and yet the profession kept up of 
being without sin. 

So Satan has led deluded souls on to the commis- 
sion of the foulest and blackest sins, of uncleanness 
and adultery, dishonesty and deceit, while still main- ' 
taining the Christian name. Most of those who have 
thus fallen, and who live in sin, are undoubtedly chil- 
dren of the devil, and were never anything else — "sows 
who quickly returned to their wallowing in the mire"; 
for they were never anything but sows, **' Dogs turned 
again to their own vomit," for they were never anything 
but dogs. Like Simon Magus, who professed belief 
and was baptized, they have " neither part nor lot with 
Christ — their heart is not right in the sight of God." 

But, mixed up with them, drawn away among them, 
are undoubtedly those who have been tridy brought to 
Christ, and have been left to be overcome by sin, as 
was David, that, like him, they may correct their views 



THE FLESH, 79 

as to the flesh; and, with him, agree fully with God's 
estimate of it, and learn, with Paul, to have no confidence 
in it. 

Oh, dear young convert, how important it is that 
you should know the evil of your own heart, and be 
kept from false views as to perfection in the flesh or a 
profession of being without sin ! Surely those who 
make such profession must have some other standard 
before them than the infinite requirements of God's holy 
law, both in what they should do and what they should 
not do, as illustrated in the life on earth of the only 
perfectly sinless One. He could truly say, with each 
day's setting sun, " I have lived a perfect life to-day. It 
could not under any circumstances have been better. I 
have left nothing undone. I have done perfectly what 
I have done." 

But for erring, fallible man to say this ! how great 
the blindness ! how awful the sin ! how dreadful the 
pride of heart it must culminate in ! The humble and 
the lowly draw near to God : and, " Thus saith the high 
and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is 
Holy ; I dwell in the high and holy place : with him 
also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the 
spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the 
contrite ones" (Isa. Ivii. 15). 

The best day that the best man or woman on earth 
ever lived, would be closed — if the soul was in com- 
munion with God — with such a consciousness of much 
that might have been done to make it better, and much 
in motive or in manner of doing what was done that 
was imperfect, that there would be far more occasion for 
humbling confession and for seeking forgiveness through 



So LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY, 

the great High Priest, than for boastful elation. And, 
how plain it is that, if the latter spirit be yielded to, 
the service of the day is marred, and there is no glory 
of the setting sun reflected along its horizon ; for the 
flesh, exalted, has hidden Christ from view. 

God has forgiveness and healing for those who con- 
fess their sins. But it is very difficult for the ordinary 
reader of the Word of God to find any place this side of 
Heaven for those who have no sins to confess. And 
when one sees the delusions and darkness that come 
from their unscriptural teaching, the wish must often 
arise that they were speedily taken there ; even as Paul, 
in his love for his dear converts who were being led away 
from the ground of acceptance as being wholly and only 
in Christ, and not in works of the flesh, was led to say, 
" I would they were even cut off which trouble you " 
(Gal. V. 12). 

There is the second view of the gradual change of 
the flesh that we would briefly consider. It is not denied 
but that there may be, and is, the work of progressive 
sanctification in the experience of the believer, consist- 
ing, as we believe the Scriptures teach, in the increasing 
knowledge of the Lord Jesus as a personal living Saviour, 
and an increasing faith in Him to keep us from the evil 
of the flesh. But the important discrimination should be 
made, that this is not the changing of the evil nature of 
the flesh. The man in India with a pet tiger, seemingly 
very tame, and much of its native wildness subdued by 
discouraging influences, found, to his sorrow, that its 
natnre was still unchanged, as, with a taste of human 
blood, it again sought human life. 

A venerable Christian man, for years an honored 



THE FLESH, 8i 

teacher of theology in a leading college, where he had 
defended the view that progressive sanctification was the 
gradual taking out of the nature of the flesh, its evil attri- 
butes and characteristics, until it, the flesh, was holy and 
without sin, was in much spiritual darkness before his 
death, and said, " Either one of two things is true. First, 
the view that I have always held that, at regeneration, a 
progressive work of sanctification is commenced, which 
is to go on by the power of the Holy Spirit until all the 
evil in the nature of the flesh is taken away in this life is 
wrong. Or, second, I have never been regenerated. The 
evil characteristics of the flesh are still with me, still 
burdening me, still humbling me." Ultimately he 
believed he had been wrong in his view ; and that the 
work of the Holy Spirit in sanctification did not change 
the nature of the flesh, any more than it did in regenera- 
tion. 

Now it is of the utmost importance to a believing 
man to see this. If the Word of God teaches that " in 
me^ in my fleshy dwelleth no good thing," and teaches it 
in connection with other passages, that makes it clear 
that no good thing ever will dwell in it, or come from it ; 
but that, when allowed to act, it will act out its nature, 
which is unchangeably evil — then it must be that those 
who for years have prayed, and toiled, and fasted, and 
denied the flesh, with the expectation of changing its 
nature, must of necessity be thrown into darkness of 
soul, as they sadly find that the result they expected to 
attain — namely, annihilation of all evil in the flesh, and 
a consciousness of perfect sinlessness and perfect purity 
— has not been reached. 

In view of these, and other difficulties that might be 

6 



Bi LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

presented, it will be seen that a Christian should have 
right and clear views of his relations, as a believer, to the 
flesh. Indeed, it would seem impossible for him to be 
kept in peace and to grow in faith unless he is on right 
and Scriptural lines in this matter. It is vain to tell a 
convert as a poorly-taught Christian once did, " Oh, you 
just let the old man alone ; do not bother yourself about 
him." He received the apt reply : " Ah, but there is 
just the trouble ; he won't let me alone." The clamour- 
ing of the flesh, its selfishness, vanity, pride, jealousy, 
love of ease, cowardice, and conceit, come into painful 
prominence in his consciousness as the Spirit of God 
shows him what he is ; and the harder he struggles, the 
more prominent they seem. He is in despair unless he 
finds an explanation of this conflict that will not destroy 
his hope, and a deliverance that is based upon truthful^ 
ness. Such an explanation the Word of God gives, and 
such a deliverance it presents. 

Jesus Christ is the Saviour of His people, and does 
save them from their sins — real sins, not make-believe 
ones ; vile sins (for all sin is vile — it is vile to sin in any 
way against a holy God) ; hell-deserving, soul-defiling 
sins. Blessed be His name ! He is the Saviour from 
them all. The remedy in all things for a believer, is to 
know Christ. 



(Kljiltr 0f l^sus, (©ft ©rpms^ir^ 

Child of Jesus, oft depressed, 
Yielding to thy doubts and fear, 

In thy trials sore distressed, 

Fainting for some word of cheer t 



THE FLESH. 83 

Come, thy need is all supplied, 

Take by faith what God doth give : 
Believe that you in Christ have died, 

Believe that you in Him now live. 

Often weary, often weak. 

Foes without and fears within ; 
Knowing not what path to take. 

To escape from self and sin : 
In thy risen Saviour hide, 

From Him risen life receive ; 
Believe that you in Christ have died, 

Believe that you in Him now live. 

Sorrowing oft, and often sad, 

As thy failures thou dost scan ; 
Selfish aims those failures made, 

Now let Jesus lead and plan. 
Let the Spirit ever guide, 

Let the flesh no more deceive ; 
Believe that you in Christ have died, 

Believe that you in Him now live. 




CHAPTER XII. 




FLESH AND SPIRIT. 

**The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against 
the flesh."— Gal. v. 17. 

N the same man, in the believing man, joined 
by one in generation to the first Adam 
joined by the other in regeneration to the 
second Adam. The one, corruptible in 
nature, poisoned by sin, and at enmity with God. The 
other, incorruptible in nature, untainted by sin, and 
loving God. And there the two natures abide. The 
Spirit does not, in this life, change flesh into spirit ; and 
the flesh cannot, thank God, change the spirit into flesh. 
Nature never changes. It can be subdued, kept under, 
put in the place of death, denied, bruised, disciplined, 
chastened ; but as long as a thing lives, its nature cannot 
be changed. 

So, while man*s life continues in the flesh, he will 
have the nature of the flesh ; and^ when regenerated, 
warfare with the flesh is inevitable, and must continue 
through life. If a man thinks he has got to a point in 
his experience, where the flesh has become changed in 
nature, and he Jias " confidence " in it, in the face of 



FLESH AND SPIRIT, 85 

God's Word, which tells him to have " no confidence " in 
it, and ceases his watchfulness and warfare, he is 
certainly wrong, and will be rudely awakened from his 
delusion by some action of the flesh that will be terribly 
humbling, and lead him back to heartily take sides with 
God's estimate of it. So David was forced to say when 
he was suffered to fall, " Against Thee, Thee only, have 
I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight ; that Thou 
mightest be justified when Thou speakest, and be clear 
when Thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, 
and in sin did my mother conceive me " (Ps. li. 4). 

For proof texts, that the flesh and spirit are in the 
same man, and abide in him, unchanged in nature, while 
he lives on earth, see Rom. vii. 21 to 23 : "Now if I do 
that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that 
dwelleth in Me. I find then a law, that, when I would 
do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the 
law of God after the inward man : but I see another 
law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, 
and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which 
is in my members." ^wo opposing principles in the 
same man, and the law of their acting, laid down. That 
is, " the flesh " is in the regenerate man, and if he allows 
it to act, its action will be in accordance with its nature, 
in opposition to and in war with the Spirit of God. The 
remedy, as Paul gloriously brings out in the eighth chap- 
ter, is to so come into fellowship with Christ in His risen 
life, that we shall live in the Spirit, and not be brought 
under the power of the flesh. But the recognition of the 
presence of the flesh is clearly insisted upon, in the 
possibility of living after it, as presented in the 13th 
verse, and in the exhortation in the same verse to 



S6 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY, 

*' mortify the deeds of the body," which is addressed to 
believers. 

In Gal. V. 1 6, 17, we have these words — " This I say 
then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust 
of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and 
the Spirit against the flesh ; and these are contrary the 
one to the other : so that ye cannot do the things that 
ye would." 

The presence of the flesh, and of its lusting in the 
believing man, is here recognized. The remedy is, not 
its annihilation, not its change of nature ; but the same as 
in Romans viii. — the practical fellowship of the soul with 
a personal Christ, by walking in the Spirit. And the 
promise is, that if I walk in the Spirit (i.e., let the Holy 
Spirit have His way with me, in revealing Christ to my 
soul through the Scriptures, and yielding myself to God 
in obedience to the Word, as the Word reveals His will), 
" I shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh," for " I cannot do 
the things that I would." The things that I would do are 
the things that would gratify the flesh. But if I am in real 
communion with God, I cannot do these things. The 
consciousness of His displeasure, to which a soul walking 
in the Spirit becomes more and more sensitive, is a cause 
of such grief and unhappiness that, above all things,* 
we shall dread the being overcome by sin ; and in this 
communion with God we shall be kept by Him from the 
power of sin. Sin will be in us, but " shall not have 
dominion over us," for we are not under law, but under 
grace. But this practical victory will only be realized 
just in proportion as we take the place given us in 
Gal. iii. 13: ''redeemed from the curse of the law"; 
and in Gal. iii. 26 : " children of God by faith in Christ 



FLESH AND SPIRIT. 87 

Jesus " ; in the place of sons, as Gal. iv. 5 to 7 : " standing 
fast in our liberty in Christ," no matter what the world, 
or the devil, or the flesh, may say, as in Gal. v. i. So 
again, and continually, we would emphasize, Christ 
must first be seen, and accepted as our Redeemer, before 
we can know the work of the Spirit as our sanctifier. 

It must also be kept clear in mind that the ground 
of our acceptance with God never changes. We stand 
in Christ all the way. Never in self, and never on the 
ground of my being perfect in self, do I have access to 
God, or receive any blessing from God ; but, always on 
the ground of having a perfect Saviour. And just in 
pjroportion as I discover and confess my own imperfec- 
tions, and appropriate Him as my sufficiency, do I have 
victory over the flesh. 

So I John i. 8 to 10; ii. i and 2 — "If we say that 
zve have no sin^ we deceive ourselves, and the truth is 
not in us. If we confess our sins. He is faithful and 
just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all 
unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we 
make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us. My little 
children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. 
And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the 
Father, Jesus Christ the righteous : and He is the 
propitiation for our sins : and not for ours only, but 
also for the sins of the whole world." 

He writes unto them of the fellowship that they are 
called to enjoy with the Father and with the Son, that 
in the faith of the fellowship they may be kept from 
sinning. But recognizing the possibility— through failure 
to walk in this fellowship, and by the flesh acting — 
of the child of God falling into sin, the advocacy of 



88 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

Christ as our High Priest in heaven before God is 
introduced, that the Christian with a condemning 
conscience may come to Him and receive cleansing and 
restoration, as typified by what the Jewish High Priest 
did for Israel when they were defiled. 

Sin — past, present, and future — is recognized and 
provided for. 

" If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a 

liar." 
" If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves." 
" If any man sin, we have an Advocate." 

So not by a profession of perfection, and of being 
without sin, do I find peace and access to God : but by 
continued confession of imperfection, and seeing sin in 
all of its aspects — past, present, and future — fully pro- 
vided for in the Blood. 

The presence of the flesh — i.e., the corrupt human 
nature in believers — John himself being included — is 
insisted upon in the 8th verse : sin there meaning the 
nature or principle of sin ; rather than the outward act, 
as in 9th and loth verses, and also in ist and 2nd verses 
of the second chapter. 

The reader will also see that the fact that Jesus now 
bears the relation of High Priest to His Church on the 
earth, and, of course, to each and every member of it, 
involves that they of themselves must be imperfect and 
sinful as in the sight of God, and cannot possibly have 
access to God except through their High Priest. So 
Heb. V. I and 2 — " For every high priest taken from 
among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to 
God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins : 



FLESH AND SPIRIT. 89 

who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them 
that are out of the way ; for that he himself also is com- 
passed with infirmity." 

This office of High Priest the Scriptures clearly teach 
us Christ will continue to hold until His second com- 
ing, when His Church will be caught up from earth, and 
be glorified and presented in resurrection bodies, ''without 
spot, or wTinkle, or any such thing." His High-priestly 
office is then laid aside, for it is no longer needed. 

How great the error then, until that time, to profess 
an attainment in perfection, where I no longer need 
Christ in His priestly office. 

It must be insisted upon that any interpretation 
of texts of Scripture that would put a child of God in 
a position out of harmony with this truth must be 
unsound. 

I John iii. 9 — "Whosoever is born of God doth not 
commit sin ; for his seed remaineth in him : and he can- 
not sin, because he is born of God," is often thus used. 
What does it mean ? That it cannot mean that every- 
one that is born of God is sinless is obvious ; for that 
would contradict I John i. 8 and 10. Is not the expla- 
nation found in considering what it is in a man that is 
born of God ? It cannot be the flesh that is born of 
God, for our Lord says, " That which is born of the 
flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is 
spirit^' ; and Eph. iv. 23 states the Holy Ghost in rege- 
neration " renew^s us in the spirit of our minds." There- 
fore, the mind is the subject of it. 

" The new birth," says an old writer, " is a new 
nature, created in the mind, which never existed in it 
before." It is conveyed by the Spirit of God. He is 



90 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

the Author of it. Hence, it is called after His name, 
spirit. It is contrary to every desire and propensity of 
the old man. There is no sin in it. Hence, the apostle 
says, " Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin ; 
for his seed remaineth in him : and he cannot sin 
because he is born of God " (i John iii. 9). 

So the new birth does not change or alter the sinful 
nature and disposition which were inherent in the sinner 
when this new birth took place. That remains un- 
changeably evil to the last. So i John i. 8 and 10 are 
true of believers as to the existence of sin, and the fact 
of sinning, for the flesh is there ; and i John iii. 9 is also 
true, for the spirit is there. They have been made " par- 
takers of the divine nature " (see 2 Peter i. 4) ; and the 
divine stature in the soul can no more sin in the believer 
than the divine nature in Heaven. It is plainly put 
before us in the Scripture that it is by virtue of the union 
of our spirit with the sinless, glorified, Son of God, " the 
first-born from the dead,'' that we have our acceptance as 
sinless ones before God; and never by virtue of our being 
sinless in ourselves. So, in CoL i. 22, the believers to 
whom the apostle writes are said to be " presented holy, 
and unblameable, and unreproveable in His sight ; " and 
in the second chapter, tenth verse, are declared " com- 
plete " in Christ. Yet these same believers, perfect in 
Christ, are also recognized as being on the earth in a 
fleshly nature, and are told in Col. iii. 5, to " mortify their 
members which are upon the earth," and are instructed 
specifically as to the denying of fleshly lusts in the third 
and fourth chapters. 

Now, if Col. i. 22 were to be taken as describing an 
actual state of perfection in the flesh attained by 



FLESH AND SPIRIT. 91 

believers, what sense could there be in Col. 111. 5, and 
the succeeding verses of the epistle, clearly recognizing 
a state of things far from perfection ? 

And if there is a necessity here, in order to ui.der- 
stand seeming contradictions of the Word, to admit thcit 
there is upon one side presented the perfect standing 
that a believer has, by virtue of his spiritual union with 
Christ, " translated into the Kingdom of the Son of His 
love " (13th verse) ; " Christ formed within him, the hope 
of glory " (27th verse) ; already, as in God's sight " risen 
with Christ " (iii. i) : and, on the other side, that the 
same believer has " members still upon the earth," united 
to a fleshly nature by being born of the flesh, as he is 
united to a spiritual nature by being born of the Spirit ; 
and is warned against this fleshly nature, and told to 
mortify it and deny it : surely this is the key to an under- 
standing of all similar presentations of kindred truth. 

The Scriptures are in perfect harmony ; and it is 
contrary to the mind of the Scripture, as well as opposed 
to sound sense, to make a theory upon isolated texts that 
contradict the general tenor of the Word as a whole. 

If I John iii 9, and i John iii. 6 its parallel passage, 
are taken as meaning a literal and absolute state of 
perfection and sinlessness, then they must be accepted 
as meaning this, that in every person truly born of God, 
every thought of the mind, every desire of the heart, 
every action of the body, is absolutely holy and perfect, 
and pleasing in the sight of a holy God ; and if a regen- 
erated person once fails in thus living in thought, desire, 
and act, " he has not seen God, neither known Him." 
This is the statement of the sixth verse. This is so 
utterly contrary to the teaching of our Lord, and the 



92 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

recorded experience of Peter, and others whom the Word 
tells us were born of God, that it cannot be accepted 
as the true meaning of the passage : it proves too 
much. 

Let not the young convert be led into such a position. 
His own conscious experience will contradict his 
professions. Victory over the power and dominion of 
sin, God indeed promises as we abide in Christ. But 
" sin still wars within the soul, even of a believer, and 
carries on a strife which justification does not save him 
from, nor sanctification hinder ; but rather the contrary : 
for, as believers, it is written of us : " Think it not 
strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, 
as though some strange thing happened unto you " 
(I Pet. iv. 12). 

" What shall we say then ? shall we deny the existence 
of the conflict, and argue for a perfection in the flesh, 
which every confession of sin and prayer for forgiveness 
practically contradicts ? Shall we talk wildly and unscrip- 
turally of sin being dead within us, as well as crucified 
for us ? Shall we, to suit the occasion, lower the standard 
of God's holy law, and alter the character of the believer's 
sin, as if, in his case, it was not tenfold more sinful, if 
possible? Shall we extenuate trespass, because found 
in a saint ; and sympathize with the self-righteous 
commiseration not unfrequently expressed for those 
* undeveloped brethren,' those ' half-instructed ' Christians 
described as being ' still in the seventh, and not yet in 
the eighth of Romans'? Shall we continue, from preju- 
dice, to close our eyes to the patent fact, that the 
conflicts and complaints of the seventh chapter are 
acknowledged and repeated in the eighth chapter : 



FLESH AND SPIRIT. 93 

* Ourselves also which have the first fruits of the Spirit, 
even we ourselves, groan within ourselves, waiting 
for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our 
body/ " 

" Not so ; God forbid. But we will, with the Apostle, 

* thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord,' for promised 
deliverance ; and rest in the assurance that " sin shall not 
have dominion over us, for we are not under the law, 
but under grace." * 

My brother in Christ, be not cast down or discouraged 
at the existence of this warfare. Its very existence is 
an evidence of the presence of God's Spirit in your soul. 
" There hath no temptation taken you but such as is 
common to man" (i Cor. x. 13). Your safety lies in a 
humbling recognition and hearty belief in the truth of 
the statement of God's Word, that " in you, in your flesh, 
dwelleth no good thing," and a ceasing to expect that 
any good thing ever will dwell in it (that is, in its nature) ; 
and your danger lies in being led into a false profession 
of perfection and sinlessness in the flesh, and an appli- 
cation to yourself of words which only Jesus, as the only 
Sinless One that has ever walked this earth, could 
truthfully utter : " The prince of this world cometh, and 
hath nothing in Me." Most earnestly and affectionately 
are you warned against this. 

The Apostle Paul could say, "I exercise myself to have 
always a conscience void of offence" (Acts xxiv. 16), and 
" I know nothing against {lit.) myself" (i Cor. iv. 4, R.V.). 
Yet he expressly adds : " Yet am I not hereby justified ; 
7 — • — — — ■ " 

* See Lectures on Romans VII. By Rev. M. Rainsford. 
Hamilton, Adams & Co., London. 



94 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

but He that judgeth me is the Lord." So, the believer is 
not to allow sin to rule him, but ever aim to have a good 
conscience in that which he allows. But he should always 
remember that the Lord's standard is infinitely higher 
than his ; and that he cannot say he is without sin before 
God, even though conscience may not condemn. The 
same Apostle, whose attainments in holiness and sincere 
consecration to Christ were far beyond anything the world 
has ever seen since, also clearly recognized the existence 
of the flesh, its evil characteristics, and his danger from it : 
" And lest I should be exalted above measure through the 
abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a 
thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, 
lest I should be exalted above measure" (2 Cor. xii. 7). 

Now, without reference to what the "thorn" was, the 
point in this testimony is, that Paul had that in his 
flesh that was in danger of being exalted or puffed up 
by reason of the distinguished honour conferred upon 
him as an apostle ; and the thorn was made necessary 
to keep him from being puffed up. The thorn is called 
" a messenger of Satan to buffet him." So Satan did 
come, and found something in Paul. In modern times, 
Paul, after such a testimony, would have been told that 
he had not trusted the Lord fully ; or all that he felt in 
his flesh in danger of being proud, conceited, or vain, 
would have been taken out of him, and Satan would 
have found nothing in him. It was not taken out; but 
he was kept humble by his " thorn," and God's grace 
given him to live nearer to Christ than ever, as he felt 
his weakness and knew his danger. 

" The creature is dead ; but he don't know it," said 
an Irishman, as he looked at the moving legs of a 



FLESH AND SPIRIT. 



95 



turtle whose head he had cut off a few hours before. 
" The flesh is dead in me," says the modern opponent 
of Paul ; but the lively motions of the flesh that are 
often seen by the onlooker make him doubt if the flesh 
knows it. 

The remedy in all things for a believer is — to know 
Christ, 



The love of God outflowing 

To lost and ruined men, 
From God to man, through 
Jesus ; 

Through Jesus, back again. 
O Spirit, sent as teacher. 

Teach us this love to know, 
That in God's love believing. 

Our love to Him may grow. 

As sons, in Christy God seats us 

At His right hand in heaven ; 
And there the Father's blessing 

Through Christ to us is given : 
On Christ in glory gazing, 

As there He sits in grace, 
In Him — oh, joy amazing ! — 

We see the Father's face. 



The Father seen in Jesus, 

Our life for evermore ; 
And God in Christ accepted, 

God truly we adore. 
Thus, in the Spirit walking, 

All grace we find supplied 
Our bodies to be yielding, 

With Jesus crucified. 

The victory that o'ercometh 

We thus, by faith, do gain ; 
The faith that works by loving, 

That we from Christ obtain. 
To please is love's ambition ; 

To give up self, its joy; 
Saved ones to serve their Sa- 
viour, 

Find nought but glad employ. 



CHAPTER XIIL 




IS THE FLESH DEAD? 
"He that is dead is freed from sin."— ROM. vi. 7. 

HAVE the Word of God for saying that 
it isl' says the reader. 

Gal. v. 24 says — "They that are Christ's have 
crucified thefiesh with the affections and lusts." 
Rom. viii. 10 — " If Christ be in you, the body is dead 

because of sin." 
Col. ii. 20 — " Wherefore, if ye be dead with Christ." 
Col. iii. 3 — " For ye are deadP 
Rom. vi. 2 — " How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any 

longer therein ? " 
Rom. vi. 3, 4—** Know ye not that so many of us as were 

baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death ? 

Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into 

deathP 

So 5th to nth verses. Every one of them has 
the word dead or death in them, as applied to the 
believer in Christ ; and upon these verses I rest my 
doctrine, and obey the command of the eleventh verse : 
" Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed 
unto sin ; but alive unto God, through Jesus Christ our 
Lord." 

Well, this is a strong presentation, most certainly, 



IS THE FLESH DEADf 97 

of Scriptural authority for the doctrine that the flesh 
is dead ; and the verses quoted must be prayerfully 
considered as to their meaning and intent. If they 
mean literally that when a man is born of God by the 
acceptance of Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour, 
and trusts in the blood of Christ as shed for his sins, 
that that moment the flesh, with all of its evil desires, 
lustings, conceits, vanities, and hypocrisies, is dead^ 
absolutely dead, and is never going to trouble the con- 
verted man any more — no more than the man in the 
grave troubles the man living in the house he once 
occupied — then certainly we are wrong in the exposi- 
tions already given ; and those who are conscious that 
the flesh is troubling them need to be converted : for, 
with this accepted as the teaching of the Word of God, 
it is obvious that if the flesh is not actually dead as to 
any motion of sin in the members or evil in the heart, 
they have not been really brought to the Lord. For, be 
it noted that these words are not spoken of a privileged 
class of believers, but of all believers. Now, the state- 
ment itself of all that this interpretation must claim, 
introduces a grave suspicion that this cannot be the 
meaning of these texts. 

It will be noticed that all of them are taken from the 
writings of Paul. Therefore the experience of Paul 
should be duly weighed in determining his meaning, and 
his statements studied in connection with the argument 
he is presenting in the epistles where they occur. It 
will be noticed that he includes himself in the verses 
quoted in the sixth of Romans, in the pronouns " us " 
and " we," all the way through ; as is his custom when 
speaking of the relation of believers to Christ. So, 



98 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

speaking of himself, he says he is dead with Christ, and 
that he is dead to sin. 

Now, if he meant by this that sin had ceased to exist 
in him, and that the flesh was absolutely and practically 
dead, how can we understand the statement made in 
Rom. vii. 21 to 23? — "I find then a law that, when I 
would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight 
in the law of God after the inward man : but I see 
another law in my members, warring against the law of 
my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of 
sin which is in my members." That is, in the members 
of a regenerated man : for he is speaking of his own 
experience in his conflict with sin after his baptism into 
the death of Christ; and none but a regenerated man 
could be described as " delighting in the law of God." 
That point is settled by Rom. viii. 7, which plainly states 
that the unregenerate man is at enmity with the law of 
God. And how can we explain 2 Cor. xii. 7, where the 
life of the flesh is recognized as being that in Paul which 
might be puffed up in a God-dishonouring way ? 

Certainly we cannot accept an interpretation of the 
Apostle's words that places him in a position not only con- 
tradictory to his own teaching, but which his own re- 
corded experience contradicts. He could not have meant 
to teach us — in the sense of which we are speaking — that 
the flesh is dead \ and then have said of his experience as 
a believer, " So fight I, not as one that beateth the air ; 
but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection " 
(i Cor. ix. 26, 27). Surely Paul was too matter-of-fact 
a man, and too sensible, to spend the time and energy 
described in these words upon that which was actually 
dead. 



IS THE FLESH DEAD? 99 

There must have been a line of truth in the mind of 
the Apostle, an understanding of which will explain his 
words without these contradictions. 

That truth it is not difficult to find. It is the central 
truth of the Gospel. Paul was pervaded with it, satu- 
rated with it ; and is continually reiterating it in one way 
or another. Christ's death, in the place of and for the 
sinner, accepted as the sinner's death judicially by God. 
It is this that sets the sinner free. 

It is on the ground that death is past and judgment 
met, that he is made a child of God. How could Paul, 
and how can any intelligent believer ever cease present- 
ing it ? Each passage that has been quoted as to the 
flesh being dead, has its explanation right here. As in 
God's sight, in my judicial relation to His law, / am 
dead: "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness 
to every one that believeth" (Rom. x. 4). 

" I am (have been, Gr.) crucified with Christ ; never- 
theless I live : yet not I, but Christ liveth in me ; and 
the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the 
faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself 
for me" (Gal. ii. 20). "I, through the law, am dead to 
the law, that I might live unto God " (Gal. ii. 19). It is 
indeed the blessed privilege of every believer to know 
that, in the death of Christ on Calvary's Cross as his 
Substitute he died; and that he now is dead, and 
judgment past. But that, as a fact to be believed, and 
rested in upon the authority of God's Word, is one 
thing ; and the taking of the passages of the Word that 
state this fact, and endeavour to show from them that 
the flesh is practically dead, and the believer actually 
sinless while living in the flesh, is quite another thing. 



loo LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY, 

With Gal. 11. 19 -" I am dead to the law," look at 
Gal. V. 24 — " They that are Christ's have crucified the 
flesh ;" and one statement explains the other. Having 
accepted Christ, and seen myself nailed to the Cross in 
His person, I should now live as one who, by the Cross, 
is set free from the law as to penalty, and from the law 
of sin in my members. As a man set free, I can claim 
that sin shall not have dominion over me, and, walking 
as a free man, " standing fast in the liberty wherewith 
Christ hath made me free," I shall not fulfil the lusts of 
the flesh (Gal. v. i, 16 ; Rom. xiii. 14). 

But that Gal. v. 24 does not mean that the flesh is 
actually dead ; and, as dead, to give no more trouble — 
which, we must insist, a thing dead cannot do — this 
verse, following after it, is conclusive. " Brethren, if a 
man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual 
restore such an one in the spirit of meekness ; considering 
thyself, lest thou also be tempted." Paul certainly did 
not seem to consider it as calculated to cultivate the 
spirit of meekness — to instruct converts to profess that 
the flesh was dead ; in the sense that Satan might come, 
and he would find nothing in them. 

Rom. viii. 10 is connected with the argument that 
turns upon the first verse of the chapter, and runs back 
to the fourth verse of the seventh chapter, where we are 
clearly told how the body is dead. " Ye also are become 
dead to the law by the body of Christ ; that ye should be 
married to another, even to Him that is raised from the 
dead — that ye should bring forth fruit unto God." So in 
union with Christ I died as under law ; and by that death 
I am free from law, that by spiritual union with Jesus 
as a risen Saviour I may live a spiritual life, governed 



IS THE FLESH DEAD f loi 

by the law of the spirit, and not by the law of the 
flesh. 

The exhortation of the 13th verse — "For if ye live 
after the flesh {i,e.^ ruled by it) ye shall die ; but, if ye 
through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye 
shall live" — is conclusive that the words of the loth 
verse, " the body is dead," cannot be taken as meaning 
that the nature of the flesh is changed, or that the flesh 
is practically dead ; for how can a body that is dead be 
mortified ? 

Col. ii. 20 and lii. 3 we have already used in connec- 
tion with Col. iii. 5 — " Mortify therefore your members 
which are upon the earth " — as showing that the epistle 
cannot be harmonized in its statements, without the 
same exposition that the death refers to the believer's 
judicial relations to the law in Christ's death, as his 
substitute ; in the faith of which he is united to a living 
Christ, and therefore is called upon to "mortify the 
flesh " in which he still lives, and to " put off the old 
man, with his deeds," in the serise of not one putting 
off once for all, but a daily denying of the flesh 
in the minding of the Spirit : " Always bearing about 
in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the 
life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our 
body. For we which live are alway delivered unto 
death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might 
be made manifest in our mortal flesh " (2 Cor. iv. 
10,11). 

There certainly could not be a daily denying of the 
flesh if the flesh were once for all dead. We do not need 
to guard against a dead enemy. And if the flesh has to 
be denied by the believer, it must live ; and if it lives, 



I02 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

its nature lives, unchangeably evil and opposed to the 
Spirit of God. 

Rom. vi. 2 is connected in the Apostle's argument 
with Rom. iii. 24, 25, where the sole ground of a sinner's 
justification before the law is declared to be " redemption 
in Christ Jesus," received " through faith in His blood," 
a truth further developed in Rom. iv. 25 — "Who was 
delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our 
justification." " Christ died for the ungodly " (v. 6). 
"Christ died for us" (v. 8). "When we were ene- 
mies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His 
Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by 
His life." Then, in its connection, comes the practical 
question of Rom. vi. i — "Shall we continue in sin, that 
grace may abound ? " answered, as every man who knows 
the fulness and freeness of God's redeeming love in 
Christ would be constrained to answer : " God forbid. 
How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer 
therein ? Know ye not that as many of us as were 
baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His 
death?" 

The " dead to sin " is explained by its connection 
with baptism " into His deaths It is not ' dead to sin " 
in the sense of being dead to the sense of its presence, 
but dead to its condemnation and penalty. " Knowing 
this, that our old man is [lit, was) crucified with Him," 
and " He that is dead is justified (margin) from sin " 
(verses 6 and 7). The effect of my seeing myself thus 
delivered in the death of my Saviour will certainly be to 
lead me to walk in newness of life, and to cease from 
living in sin ; and I am, indeed, called upon in the nth 
verse, in view of this deliverance, to " likewise reckon 



IS THE FLESH DEAD? 103 

myself also to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto 
God, through Jesus Christ our Lord." 

Two words are noteworthy. First, " likezvise'^ con- 
necting how I am to consider myself dead unto sin, with 
the statement in the loth verse that Christ " died unto 
sin once." Now His death unto sin was not the ceasing, 
from sin in the flesh, for He had no sin in the flesh, but 
refers to His actual death as an atonement for sin on the 
Cross ; and the exhortation is, " likewise reckon ye 
yourselves dead." Surely it is here, as ever where 
similar words are used, that we should see ourselves 
dead in a crucified Saviour, who died in our stead, and 
on our behalf. " Reckon " yourselves dead, and 
"reckon" yourselves alive unto God in (Gr.) Jesus 
Christ our Lord ; ^>., live in the faith of it ; and " Let 
not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, that ye 
should obey it in the lusts thereof." So, is the flesh 
dead ? Yes^ and No. 

Yes, praise God, judicially, as under penalty of God's 
law, it is dead. " The wages of sin is death : " and Christ 
has taken the wages for all His believing people. " I 
am crucified with Christ ; " and " He that believeth is 
passed from death unto life." Faith is to reckon this 
as so, on the authority of God's own Word. 

No, as to the existence of the nature of the flesh in 
the believer. The flesh is not dead, and will not be until 
his body goes into the grave, or the Lord comes in glory 
to " change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like 
unto His glorious body" (Phil. iii. 21). 

The remedy for a believer, in all things, is to know 
Christ. 



I04 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

''%t are ^0t |0ur ©ton/' 

(l Cor. vi. 19.) 

Redeemed by Christ who died for me, 
For Him 'tis now to live ; 

By grace divine from death made free, 
To Christ the life I give : 

In every action here below, 

The Lord to sanctify ; 
The motive now in all I do— • 

His name to magnify. 

One cherished sin within the heart, 
One evil thought received. 

The joy of Christ must needs depart, 
His Holy Spirit grieved. 

O Holy Spirit, have Thy way, 
The power Thou must supply ; 

My heart and will I yield to Thee, 
My God to glorify. 






'^■"Ir^^ 



CHAPTER XIV. 



VICTORY — THE LAW AND SIN. 




** Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through 
our Lord Jesus Christ." — i COR. xv. 57. 

N what does this victory consist ? Over what 
foes do we have the victory ? In consists of 
final and complete triumph over all that 
opposes the spiritual life of the soul ; a 
victory, ^. glorious victory over every foe. " Nay, in all 
these things, we are more than conquerors through Him 
that loved us " (Rom. viii. 37). 

Oh, surely the redeemed soul would never separate 
any victory, any triumph in his spiritual life, any blessing 
received from God, from " Him that loved us." It is in 
Christ, and through Christ, and by Christ, and of Christ, 
and from Christ, all the way through, and into the ages 
of the ages. And so the prayer that the Holy Ghost 
would have each believing soul be uttering now with 
thankful humble heart to God, is found in Col. i. 12 to 
14 — " Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made 
us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints 
in light: who hath delivered us from the power of 



io6 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY, 

darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of 
His dear Son ; in whom we have redemption through 
His blood, even the forgiveness of sins." 

Three things are presented by the Apostle in the 
verses from i Cor. xv. over which he rejoices that 
believers have the victory. The law, sin, and death. 

"The strength of sin is the law." Victory must 
therefore commence here. So long as the holy law of 
God condemns me, there can be no victory in anything. 
I cannot pray to God in faith until I know my sins are 
forgiven. I cannot love God, while I believe I am under 
His curse. I cannot serve God acceptably until I am 
justified by God. On the other hand, God cannot bless 
me while His law still condemns me. He cannot impart 
His Spirit to me, while guilt is yet upon me in His sight. 
To be made right legally in an absolute and entire 
release from every demand of the law, must be of necessity 
the first step in salvation. " Thanks be to God^ who 
giveth us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord.*' 
He " was delivered for our offences." He was " raised 
for our justification" (Rom. iv. 25). 

" Put 7ny where it says ou7', and read it again, slowly," 
was said to an anxious soul. " / see it ! I see it ! " was the 
happy response, after the request had been complied 
with. Reader, do you see it ? If not, will you read the 
verse again. Read it slowly. Think what it means. 
Look to the Saviour in His death as bearing the very 
sins you now feel to be condemning you. If Jesus Christ 
upon the Cross does not bring light to your soul, light 
will never come. 

Do you not see from this verse, that the ground of 
your justification before God, the full and complete 



VICTORY— THE LAW AND SIN. I07 

pardon of every sin, is simply the fact of Christ having 
died and satisfied God's law for you, and on your behalf? — 
and that you may know you are justified before God, in 
that He has raised Christ up from the dead to show you 
that He has accepted Him, and accepts you in Him ? 

A literal version has a beautiful translation of the 
verse, making tTiis precious truth, of the believer's union 
with Christ in death and resurrection, perhaps more 
clear. It reads : " Who was delivered because of our 
offences, and was raised again because of our justifica- 
tion." Would we know the certainty of our justification 
from sin by God ? We see it in the fact of His raising 
up Christ from the dead. The law is satisfied ; its claims 
are vindicated. The sinner who accepts Christ as his 
Saviour, is free. How can it be otherwise if, in the 
purpose of God, Christ was given to bear the penalty ; 
and He has actually borne the penalty, and God has 
accepted the work as finished ? 

A story is told that, during our late sad War, a 
number of Southerners were arrested by a General of 
the Union Army, commanding a district in one of the 
border States, who tried them by court-martial, under 
the general charge of killing Union soldiers by shooting 
them from the bushes as they passed in small detach- 
ments through the country. They were all found guilty, 
and sentenced to be shot. After the sentence, the 
General allowed them to draw lots, and selected a few 
in this way for execution. Those selected by the fatal 
lot were to be shot the following morning. Tried, con- 
demned, and waiting the execution of penalty, their 
condition was a sad one. Among the number thus 
waiting in despair, was a middle-aged man, a man of 



io8 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

family, who was in deep distress at the fate that awaited 
him. During the evening a young man, a neighbour of 
the condemned, and one who had himself been of the 
number arrested but had escaped the fatal lot, came in 
and made the astonishing proposal to this man • that he 
would take his place and die in his stead. He said, " I 
have no family to mourn my loss. I trust I am prepared 
to die ; and I am willing, for the sake of your family, to 
die for you. The General says he will consent to the 
change, and accept my death in place of yours as 
satisfactory to the law." 

The generous offer was accepted by the surprised 
and overcome man, and the substitute remained under 
guard until the morning came. With the morning, the 
young man was led out upon the parade-ground with his 
fellow-prisoners. A company of soldiers, with loaded 
guns, faced them, and at the command " Fire," he fell, 
his body riddled with bullets. Dead, under the penalty 
of law which he had voluntarily assumed for another. 
After the execution of the penalty, and the dead bodies 
had been taken away for burial, the remainder of the 
party, who had been held in arrest, were released and sent 
to their homes. Now, as the man, who was saved by the 
generous friend who thus died for him, enters his home 
and embraces the rejoicing wife and children who wel- 
come him back to life again, what explanation will he 
give them as to his release from the penalty that hung 
over him ? Doomed to death, what will he tell them was 
the means of his escape ? Will he be talking about his 
convictions of danger, his fears, his repentance, his 
feeling bad, his tears, or anything of himself, as having 
anything to do with it? No, as the story goes, he 



VICTOR Y—THE LA W AND SIN. 109 

certainly did nothing of the kind. He told them of the 
love of the young neighbour who offered to be his sub- 
stitute : he told them of the mangled body that had 
filled the grave that had been dug for him ; and that he 
lived because another had died in his place. 

The writer has been informed that in the village 
graveyard near where this transaction occurred there 
is a grave with a headstone bearing the name of this 
young hero, and an epitaph to his honour from the man 
for whom he died, acknowledging his debt of gratitude 
in that he died for him. Shall the believing sinner do 
less ? Nay, shall he not do much more, rather, saved 
from eternal death by the death of Christ for him ? 
How can he ever cease to love and praise ? And how can 
he 'ever shrink from acknowledging his debt of gratitude 
to the Son of God, his Saviour, " in whom we have 
redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, 
according to the riches of His grace"? (Eph. i. 7). 
This is the victory over the law in its condemning 
power. " Thanks be to God which giveth us the victory 
through our Lord Jesus Christ." 

For the second aspect of victory, viz., over sitiy look 
first at Rom. xiii. 14 — " But put ye on the Lord Jesus 
Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the 
lusts thereof." And then at Rom. vi. 11 — 14 — "Like- 
wise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto 
sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that 
ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye 
your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto 
sin : but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are 
ive from the dead, and your members as instruments 



no LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have 
dominion over you : for ye are not under the law, but 
under grace." And lastly, at Rom. vii. 4 — " Ye are 
become dead to the law by the body of Christ ; that ye 
might be married to another, even to Him who was 
raised from the dead, that ye might bring forth fruit 
unto God." 

In all of these references the central truth is — the 
spiritual union of the believing soul with a personal, 
living, risen Saviour. The failure in overcoming sin 
begins, and is continued, because of failure to enter by 
faith into the enjoyment of this relationship. For 
peace of conscience as to my sins, I must see Christ 
on the cross, in His work of atonement. For power to 
overcome my sins, I must see Him as "the first-born 
from among the dead," the risen Head of His Church ; 
and He, a living Saviour, must dwell in my heart. If, 
in my knowledge of Christ, I stop at the cross, I cannot 
know His delivering power in my daily life. 

The wonderful truth of Rom. vii. 4 — showing the 
purpose of God, in setting the sinner free at the cross, 
to be the marriage of the sinner to Christ, as raised 
from the dead — is apprehended so feebly, that the power 
of Christ in His salvation is hardly known. Christ 
found His bride in prison, shut up under penalty of the 
law. He died to release her, that she then might marry 
Him. If the marriage is not consummated, how could 
the salvation be enjoyed? So far as He, the Bride- 
groom, is concerned, it is. He accepted us when we came 
to Him ; for " Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise 
cast out." But, alas ! His bride is very half-hearted, 
and slow to understand the fulness of His affection and 



VICTOR V— THE LAW AND SIN, 1 1 1 

the abundance of His power and grace for the supply 
of her every need. " Put on the Lord Jesus Christ." 
" AHve unto God in Jesus Christ." 

" Married to Him who was raised from the dead." 
Surely, if we obeyed these exhortations, and accepted 
in simple faith the truth as to our standing before God 
in Christ, we should have victory over sin. The mistake 
is often made, that the actings of the flesh are the cause 
of the low spiritual life of believers. The truth is, that 
the low spiritual life of believers is the cause of the 
actings of the flesh. Let the soul come into a higher 
spiritual atmosphere, by being " married to Another ; " 
let Christ be enjoyed and trusted, and fed upon through 
His Word ; and the flesh is kept subdued. Engaged 
with Christ, the mind makes " no provision for the 
flesh," and it is kept under. 

So that it is not by fighting our sins in detail that we 
get the victory — indeed, in this way, we find that the 
sins get the victory — but in coming into closer fellow- 
ship with Christ. Treat and trust Him, as a loving wife 
would trust her husband. As Ruth, the Moabitess — who 
found grace in the eyes of Boaz, and he became her 
redeemer and husband — trusted him to pay all her debts, 
and provide for all her needs. It would have grieved 
him, a mighty man of wealth, to have had her worried 
in the slightest degree about either. 

Alas, how often we have grieved our blessed Lord by 
our doubts and suspicions as to whether He really has 
redeemed us from all our sins, or by unbelief as to the 
grace He has promised for all our need. 

The exhortation of Rom. vi. 13, to yield ourselves 
unto God, is very simple. Rebecca, the bride of Isaac, 



112 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

was asked the simple question, " Wilt thou go with this 
man ? " And she said, " I will go." 

Made alive in Jesus Christ, our risen Head, shall we 
not yield ourselves up to Him? The exhortation is 
based upon the truth of the 14th verse, " For sin shall 
not have dominion over you, for (or, because) ye are not 
under law, but under grace." You are free from the 
dominion of the law of sin in your members, though 
not free from its existence. 

The old slave-master, Sin, that has ruled you so long, 
has no right to claim your service further. Jesus Christ 
has purchased you. He is your Master — not sin. Yield 
yourself to Him. Assert your liberty ; claim His pro- 
tection. He will give it to you. He will sustain you ; 
as you say, " In the name of the Lord Jesus, I am free. 
I will no longer yield, in this or that, wherein I have 
been in bondage. Lord Jesus, I yield to Thee." 

The writer once witnessed a scene in Alabama that 
may help to illustrate this victory over the slave-master, 
Sin. A negro woman was brought before a Provost- 
marshal of the United States Army by an overseer, 
just as the war was closing in 1865, with the charge 
that she had tried to shoot him. United States soldiers 
filled the office, and gathered around to hear her 
story. It was simply this, which the overseer and two 
friends who accompanied him, admitted was substanti- 
ally true. 

The slaves had heard out on the plantation (some 
miles away from any point where troops had been) that 
the Northern Army had come, and that Abraham Lincoln 
had made them free. The overseer told them it was not 
true, and they were not free, and that they must work 



VICTOR V— THE LAW AND SIN. 1 1 3 

right on. She did work on, with the rest. But one day 
she learned that her little daughter, who had been sold 
to another plantation, was sick ; and when she asked 
the overseer to let her go, he said No, she could not 
go. She told him that she believed she was free : that 
Abraham Lincoln had made her free ; and she was 
going. She started down the lane ; and he, obtaining his 
revolver, crossed the field, and, heading her off, pointed 
the revolver at her and told her to go back. 

**Massa/' said the woman, "I believed that Abraham 
Lincoln had made me free ; and I just sprang at the over- 
seer, and got him by the throat. He fell on his back, 
and I choked him until he got black, and begged ; then 
I took his revolver and let him up, and pointed the 
pistol at him, and told him to go away, and let me 
alone. He went away ; and I went to see my daughter, 
where these men found me, and brought me here." 

The soldiers of Abraham Lincoln gave the woman 
three cheers for her faith in their President : and the 
officer who held his commission from Abraham Lincoln 
could do no other than say to the overseer, that under 
the authority of the United States Government he was 
bound to protect the woman with all the force at his 
command ; and that he, and not the woman, was in a 
criminal position under existing law. The overseer was 
dismissed with a reprimand, and the poor woman left to 
rejoice in her freedom. 

My brother, in your relations to the old master, Sin, 
whose law has once controlled you, go and do thou 
likewise. " Through this Man is preached unto you 
the forgiveness of sins : and by Him all that believe 
are justified from all things, from which ye could 

8 



114 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

not be justified by the law of Moses " (Acts xiii. 

38,39). 

Rom. V. 8-10 — " God commendeth His love toward 
us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for 
us. Much more then, being now justified by His blood, 
we shall be saved from wrath through Him, For if, 
when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by 
the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we 
shall be saved by His life.'' 

Shall a slave-woman believe the proclamation of 
man ; and will you not believe the proclamation of God ? 
Shall she, inspired by faith in that proclamation, over- 
come her former master ; and will not you, in the faith 
that Christ has redeemed you, overcome your old 
master? "Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ 
hath made you free." Be assured that all the resources 
of the Almighty Saviour are ready to support you, as 
you assert your liberty in the name of Jesus. 

Burst the shackles, my brother. Throw off the yoke 
of bondage that any unlawful appetite or unhallowed 
lust has fastened upon you. Bring in faith to your living 
Saviour your body to be filled with the Holy Spirit. 
Not in giving up one sin, this or that, do we get free ; 
but in the yielding of ourselves to our new Master, in 
consecration to His blessed will, to "walk in the Spirit :" 
and in doing this we shall find that " he that abideth in 
Him sinneth not " — ue,, is not sinning (i John iii. 6). 

Thanks be to God that giveth us the victory through 
our Lord Jesus Christ ! 

The remedy in all things for a believer is to know 
Christ. 



VICTOR V— THE LAW AND SIN. 1 1 5 

'' %t aw Otompl^t^ in lim." 

(Col. ii. 10.) 

Complete in Him : oh, precious word I 

May we by faith receive it ; 
That all our sins are put away 

Alone by Jesu's merit. 

Complete in Him while here below, 

With enemies contending ; 
His mighty power to daily know, 

From all our foes defending. 

Complete in Him, though trials dark 

May often gather o'er us ; 
With faith and love we clasp the hand 

Of Him who goes before us. 

Complete in Him for all things here, 

Where we the cross are bearing ; 
And soon for aye complete in Him, 

The crown we shall be wearing. 



<s^^^^)^)^ 




CHAPTER XV. 

VICTORY OVER DEATH* 
" Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory." — i COR. xv. 57. 

HE last enemy that shall be destroyed is 
death." 

" Death is swallowed up in victory." 
"O death, where is thy sting? O 
grave, where is thy victory ? " (i Cor. xv. 26, 54, 55.) 

So death is an enemy ; always has been, and always 
will be ; and is the last enemy to be destroyed. But, 
as an enemy, the believer is assured that in Christ he has 
the victory. With the question of sin settled, and judg- 
ment behind him at the Cross, instead of before him 
beyond the grave, the sting of death is removed ; and 
the cause of its greatest terror, the fear of judgment, 
gone. Death no longer comes like a police officer to a 
believer, to bind him and take him to prison to await 
the great assize ; but is allowed by God, as an enemy 
indeed, to hasten His children home — like a bad man 
who frightens the children as they come from school, 
and they run the faster to their father^s house. 

We have, as believers, the victory over death, in the 
triumph of our Saviour in coming up from the grave. 
The victory there gained was a victory in which every 
believer has a share. 1 his robs the grave of its terror 



VICTOR V O VER DEA TH. 117 

should we be called upon to He therein. There is no 
question as to our coming up out of the grave. That 
was fully settled when He arose. 

Sin cannot keep us there : for Christ took our sin 
and carried it to His grave, and God raised Him up 
above it all. 

Satan cannot keep us there : for Christ by His death 
has overcome him that had the power of death \ and He 
has the keys of death and the grave under His control. 
None can go in without His permission ; and all must 
come forth when He shall speak the word. 

Corruption cannot keep us there: for "this cor- 
ruption must put on incorruption, and this mortal must 
put on immortality" (i Cor. xv. 53), 

So in Heb. 11. 1 5 we read, Christ came to " deliver 
them who, through fear of death, were all their life-time 
subject to bondage." In Phil. i. 21 the Apostle tells us — 
" For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain ; " and in the 
23rd verse — " having a desire to depart, and to be with 
Christ ; which is far better." So in 2 Cor. v. 8 — " We are 
confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the 
body, and to be present with the Lord." 

These words are unequivocal and plain. At death, 
the happy Spirit of the believer in Christ is with Christ 
in heaven. The same Lord Jesus, who was seen by 
the dying Stephen standing at the right hand of God 
when the heavens opened before him, and to whom he 
prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit !" will reveal Him- 
self, and give dying grace to every one of His redeemed 
children, who may be called to follow Him into the 
grave ; and their spirits shall rest with Him in conscious 



ii8 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

bliss in Paradise until the morning of the Resurrection, 
when they shall come with Him again to earth to be 
rehabilitated with re-created glorified bodies. " For if 
we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them 
also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him" 
(i Thess. iv. 14). 

So if God call us to the high honour, as believers, of 
following Jesus even down into the grave, He will impart 
to us, in His grace, the same faith that He Himself had 
when He said, '' Father, into Thy hands I commend my 
Spirit," and yielded His body to death, in the sure hope 
and certain expectation that God would raise Him up 
again. 

So death to the believer is but the swinging open of 
the door through which he passes into the presence of 
his loving Lord. " Aren't you afeard, John," said the 
wife of a dying miner, as she bent over hrm in the last 
hour. " Afeard, lass ? " said the man, " why should I 
be afeard ? I ken Jesus ; and Jesus kens me." And why 
should he fear ? And why should any one who kens 
Jesus fear ? " For He hath said, I will never leave thee, 
nor forsake thee : so that we may boldly say. The 
Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall 
do unto me" (Heb. xiii. 5, 6). 

" I will never leave thee." Surely then, in the hour 
of death. He is there : and this should be our comfort, 
as those whom we love receive from us the last good- 
bye ; and human affection and human care can go no 
farther. We simply resign our position that they may 
receive better care. 

The last pressure of our hand is quickly followed by 
the clasp of His hand, who whispers, " Fear not, I will 



VICTOR V O VER DEA TH. 119 

uphold thee." The last look of love from us is mingled 
with the tide of love that flows in upon them, in the 
consciousness that Jesus is near. The last sight of earthly 
friends is quickly succeeded by the rapturous vision of 
the glorified Lord. And as with them, so shall it be with 
us, if the Lord tarry, and we too fall asleep in Jesus. 

How often have we known of dying saints, when 
lost to all consciousness and memory of things below, 
revive and smile at the name of Jesus ! One of whom the 
writer knew, who made no sign of life as mother, 
husband, children came, and weeping said, " Do you 
know me ? " whispered, in reply to the question, " Do 
you know Jesus?" '^ Precious Jesus^ I know Himr A 
poor Irish peasant woman, in dying, had closed her eyes, 
and the sister standing by, thinking her dead, commenced 
the wail of mourning, when the dying one whispered, 
" Hush, hark ! " " What is it, Peggy ?" said the sister. 
" You were disturbing me," was the reply. " I am listen- 
ing to the breezes that are waving the branches of the Tree 
of Life." A few minutes more, and her spirit had fled. 

What wonderful things have been suggested to us by 
the quick, strange, glad, awe-filled look of surprise that 
has come into the eyes of the dying saints ! Some on 
battle-fields of carnage and blood, and some in homes of 
comfort and love, we have seen, as, lost to the sense of 
all earthly surroundings, they gave the far-away look at 
something unseen by those around ; and have passed 
away. " Thanks be to God that giveth us the victory, 
through our Lord Jesus Christ." 

So victory over death. Grace now given to meet it, 
and pass through it. The fear of it overcome ; the sting 
of it removed ; in the certain knowledge that this death 



I20 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY, 

is not penal in its character ; not a visitation upon us of 
wrath against us for sin : for Christ hath taken that once 
for all, and " there is therefore now no condemnation to 
them which are in Christ Jesus." So it reads that Jesus 
died ; and we, as believers, die in Him, as to penal death. 
And our dying, as to the separation of spirit and body 
for a little while, is called " falling asleep." " All things 
are yours,'' death included (i Cor. iii. 21, 22). 

Let the child of God just rest upon His unchanging 
Word for peace and comfort. If chosen to honour the 
Saviour by bearing long-continued and severe pain of 
body ; then by '^ all patience and long-suffering with joy- 
fulness," let it be made manifest in you what His grace 
can do. And if the closing hours of life are darkened by 
special assaults of the adversary, even as were the last 
hours of our blessed Lord, and no gleams of glory seem 
to pierce the cloud, still trust and say, " This has been 
my comfort in my affliction ; Thy Word hath quickened 
me. 

A dying saint who was passing through this experience 
at the close of a life that had been singularly free from 
doubt, and uniformly bright and happy in conscious 
fellowship with her Saviour, said : " My faith is being 
tried. The brightness you speak of I do not have : but 
I have given my soul to Jesus; and I have learned in 
these years to know Him well enough to trust Him to 
put me to bed in the dark, if it be His will." These 
were God-honouring words of faith : more to the glory 
of the Lord Jesus than could be the relation of the 
happiest experience ; for they honour His Word. 

The further victory over death, as presented in the 
Scriptures — the final, complete, and glorious victory — is 



VICTOR V O VER DEA TH. 121 

found in the presentation to the believer — as the blessed 
hope unto which he was saved (Rom. viii. 23, 24, lit,) — of 
the coming again from Heaven of our Lord Jesus ; the 
resurrection of the sleeping bodies of the departed saints, 
and the changing of the bodies of the living ones " in a 
moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump " 
(i Cor. XV. 52). " Behold, I show you a mystery, we 
shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed" (i Cor. 
XV. 51). " For this we say unto you by the Word of the 
Lord : that we that are alive, that are left unto the com- 
ing of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are 
fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from 
Heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and 
with the trump of God ; and the dead in Christ shall rise 
first : then we that are alive, that are left, shall together 
with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord 
in the air : and so shall we ever be with the Lord " 
(i Thess. IV. IS — 17 R.V.) 

" Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is 
written — Death is swallowed up in victory" (i Cor. 
XV. 54). 

Then, and not until then. Until that time " we that 
are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened : not for 
that we would be unclothed (^'.^., die), but clothed upon ; 
that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now He 
that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who 
also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit" 
(2 Cor. V. 4, 5), and " ourselves also, which have the 
firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within 
ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption 
of our bodies" (Rom. viii. 23). 

" For our citizenship [revised versiofi) is in heaven : 



122 LIFE, WARFARE, AND VICTORY. 

from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord 
Jesus Christ ; who shall change our vile body, that it may- 
be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to 
the working whereby He is able to subdue all things 
unto Himself (Phil. iii. 20, 21). 

This will be PERFECTION : perfection of bliss, per- 
fection of holiness, perfection of happiness, perfection 
of attainment : the realization of all for which we 
were redeemed ; and of which we now have the first- 
fruits in the indwelling of the Spirit in our souls, " which 
IS the earnest of our inheritance until the redemp- 
tion of the purchased possession, unto the praise of 
His glory " (Eph. i. 14). For this we are commanded 
to wait — " waiting for the adoption " (Rom. viii. 23) ; 
" looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appear- 
ing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ " (Tit. 
ii. 13). To expect— ^^¥oY the earnest expectation of the 
creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of 
God " (Rom. viii. 19). To desire — " Earnestly desiring 
to be clothed upon with our house which is from 
Heaven" (2 Cor. v. 2). To pray /^r— "Even so, come. 
Lord Jesus" (Rev. xxii. 20). 

We are told to watch, for in such an hour as we 
think not He will come (Matt. xxiv. 42, 44). We do not 
watch for death. Death is not our blessed hope. Death 
is " departing to be with Christ," a " falling asleep," as in 
Scripture terms. The coming of the Lord is His personal 
presence with us ; the awaking of those that sleep. 

Oh, may the young convert receive this truth fully 
into his soul ; and be of the number of those that wait 
for their Lord, when He will return from the wedding ; 
** that, when He cometh and knocketh, they may open 



VICTOR V O VER DEA TH. 123 

unto Him immediately ! Blessed are those servants 
whom the Lord, when He cometh, shall find watching '' 
(Luke xii. ^6, 37). 

The coming of Jesus again to this earth ; the person 
ality and imminence of that coming ; the glory follow- 
ing that coming for His saints ; and the woe and disaster 
for those who have despised and rejected God's grace- 
constitute the most prominent theme of the Scriptures. 
May the Holy Spirit unfold the meaning of these Scrip- 
tures to the reader ; and may his heart enter fully into 
all that God has been pleased to reveal of His glorious 
purposes concerning Christ and His Church ! " Yet a 
little while ; and He that shall come will come, and will 
not tarry " (Heb. x. 37). 

Oh, what a victory the believer will then realize ! 
Despised and persecuted, he may have been on earth . 
one "of whom the world was not worthy: defamed, 
laughed at, and made as the ofifscouring of all things : 
sorely beset by Satan through his earthly pilgrimage : 
hated and opposed by the world : long chained to a 
body of humiliation, in which he groaned and toiled, 
sinned and repented, suffered and battled against : 
hating sin, and humbled by its presence : loving God, 
and loathing self; and self clinging to him. But now 
the hour has struck ; the trumpet sounds ; the great 
deliverance has come ; the dragon is cast into the pit ; 
" the kingdom of the world is become the kingdom of 
our Lord and of His Christ : " and, as a part of the 
Lord's Christ, He stands upon the sea of glass in His 
glorified, immortal, and sinless body ; and as a redeemed 
spirit in a redeemed body, reigning with the Lord of 
glory over a redeemed earth, He joins in the song of the 



1 24 VICTOR V O VER DEA TIL 

ransomed host described by John in Rev. xix. 6 : " And 
I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude ; and 
as the voice of many waters; and as the voice of 
mighty thunderings : saying, Alleluia ! for the Lord 
God Omnipotent reigneth/' 

" Thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through 
our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be 
ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the 
Lordy forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in 
the Lord " (i Cor. xv. 57, 58). 

%]itxt'% a Ci>l0ri0us !&in0tr0nt Matting. 

There 's a glorious Kingdom waiting 
In the land beyond the sky, 
Where the saints have been gathering year by year % 
And the days are swiftly passing 
That shall bring the Kingdom nigh, 
For the coming of the Kingdom draweth near. 
With the coming of the Kingdom 
We shall see our glorious Lord, 
For the King, ere the Kingdom, must appear. 
Hallelujah to His name, 

Who redeemed us by His blood ! 
Oh, the coming of the Kingdom draweth near» 
*T is the hope of yonder Kingdom, 
And the glory there prepared, 
And the looking for the Saviour to appear, 
That dehvers us from bondage 

To the world that once ensnared : " :■ 

Oh, the coming of the Kingdom draweth near. 
Oh, the world is growing weary, 
It has waited now so long ; 
And the hearts of men are failing them for fear. 
Let us tell them of the Kingdom ; 
Let us cheer them with the song, 
That the coming of the Kingdom draweth near. 
Oh, the coming of the Kingdom draweth near, 
Oh, the coming of the Kingdom draweth near: 
Be thou ready, O my soul, 
For the trumpet soon may roll, 
And the King in His glory shall appear. 



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keep up freshness, and avoid mon- 
otony and dullness. — C. H. Spur- 
geon. 

HOW TO CONDUCT PRAYER 

MEETINGS. By Rev. Lewis O. 
Thompson. i2mo, pp. 326. .$i 25 

REVIVALS; Their Place and 
Power. By Rev. Herrick John- 
son, D. D. Cloth, flexible.. 25 

An admirable discussion of the 
subject. — Interior. 

We know of no publication that 
covers the ground so briefly and sat- 
isfactorily. — Baltimore Presbyte- 
rian. 

Dr. Johnson's experience has qual- 
ified him to speak upon this subject. 
— Independent. 



PRE-MILLENNIAL LITERATURE. 



PRE-MILLENNIAL ESSAYS. 

A series of papers on prophetical 
subjects, by eminent writers. Edited 
by Nathaniel West, D. D. Is- 
sued in one large i2mo volume of 
500 pages $1 50 

Those who desire to have, within 
the compass of a single volume, all 
that is necessary to an intelligent 
consideration of the subject, will 
find it here in a very readable form. 
It is certainly the ablest work that 
has appeared on the pre-millennial 
side. — Canada Presbyterian. 

The best treatment of this subject 
from the pre-millennial side that has 
ever been published. — The Stand- 
ard, 

It is pious, elaborate, and fra- 
ternal. We are pleased with the 
forcible, yet candid, style of argu- 
mentation. — Zions Herald. 

MARANATHA; or,The Lord Com- 
eth. ByRevJ.H.BROOKES^ D.D. 

Pp. 445, cloth $1 25 

Paper 50 

PRESENT TRUTH; being the 
Testimony of the Holy Ghost on 
the Second Coming of the Lord, the 
Divinity of Christ, and the Person- 
ality of the Holy Ghost. By Rev. 
J. H. Brookes, D. D. 250 pp., 

fine cloth 75 

Cheap edition, paper cover ... 25 

SECOND COMING OF CHRIST. 
By Rev. J. H. Brookes, D. D. 
Price 15 

BLESSED HOPE (THE) ; or,The 
Glorious Coming of the Lord. By 
Willis Lord, D. D. New and 
cheaper edition. A practical treat- 
ise; a volume well adapted to lead 
to a more joyous Christian life. 

250 pages, cloth $1 00 

Cheap edition, for circulation, 
paper covers only 25 



SECOND COMING OF CHRIST. 

By George Muller, of Bristol, 
Eng. A neat little tract of 32 pa- 
ges, suitable for circulation. Per 

dozen 40 

100 copies $2 50 

JESUS IS COMING. A most pop- 
ular handbook. Sixteenth thou- 
sand, giving seven arguments in fa- 
vor of the pre-millennial coming — 
stating the distinction between the 
Rapture and the Revelation, and be- 
tween the Church and the Kingdom 
— and containing a diagram, with 
explanations. New, enlarged edi- 
tion, 160 pp. , cloth 50 

Paper covers 15 

TWENTY REASONS FOR BE- 
LIEVING that the Second Com- 
ing of the Lord is Near. 34 pages 

and cover, neat 15 

Per dozen $1 00 

EPIPHAINIA. A study in Proph- 
ecy. By E. J. Edgren, Professor 
of Biblical Interpretation in the 
Morgan Park Theological Seminary. 
i6mo, 112 pages, cloth, neat. . 75 
Dr. Edgren writes as one who 
both loves and reveres the Sacred 
Word. He has altogether made a 
book creditable in a literary not less 
than in an evangelical point of view. 
— Chicago Standard. 

WAITING FOR THE MORN- 
ING, and Other Poems. By the 
author of "Twenty Reasons for Be- 
lieving the Coming of the Lord is 
Near.'' Sq. i6mo, pp. 54, red line, 

cloth, elegant 50 

Cheap edition, paper covers, 
neat 25 

SECOND COMING OFCHRIST 
(THE). By 1). L. Moody. Re- 
vised. Fortv-secoud thousand. 

32 pages and cover 10 

Per dozen $1 00 



HELPS FOR INQUIRERS. 



GRACE AND TRUTH Under 
Twelve Different Aspects. By W. 
P. Mackay, M. a. Forty-eighth 
thousand of American edition. The 
English edition has reached a sale of 
over two hundred thousand, besides 
being translated into German, Span- 
ish, Swedish, Arabic, Italian, Dutch, 
Gaelic and Welsh. 

i2mo, pp. 282, paper 35 

Cloth, fine 75 

Mr. Moody says of this work : *'I 
know of no book in print better 
adapted to aid in the work of him 
who would be a winner of souls, or 
to place in the hands of the uncon- 
verted." 

MY INQUIRY MEETING; or, 
Plain Truths for Anxious Souls. 
Being the experience of a pastor 
during many years of personal deal- 
ing with anxious and careless souls. 

Pp.64 15 

For simplicity, clearness and force 
of statement we have met with noth- 
ing that equals this little volume. 
We can think of no better service a 
pastor could render to Sunday- 
school teachers, and other guides of 
souls, than to secure their reading of 
these pages. Nor could inquirers 
have any better help in their search 
for truth. — The Interior. 

GLAD TIDINGS. A book for in- 
quirers. 

i2mo, pp. 100, cloth, neat... 50 
Cheap edition, for circulation . 25 
This book has been used largely 
in connection with the great revival 
meetings both in Great Britain and 
this land. 

SOUL AND ITS DIFFICULT- 
IES (THE). By H. W. Soltau. 
Paper, pp. 108 08 

HOW TO BE SAVED; or, the 

Sinner Directed to the Saviour. Pp. 
120, paper cover 25 

Cloth 50 



THE WAY TO GOD, AND HOW 
TO FIND IT. By D. L. Moody. 
A book for the inquirer and Chris- 
tian worker which is destined to 
meet with an immense circulation, 
as it combines all the energy, shrewd- 
ness and terseness of the earlier 
books and sermons of this indomit- 
able worker, together with the ripe- 
ness and wisdom born of experi- 
ence. Cloth, rich black and gold 

stamp 60 

Paper, tinted covers 30 

The way of salvation is made as 
clear as simple language and forcible, 
pertinent illustration can make it. 
In two features it is equal to any- 
thing that Mr. Moody has produced 
— in close adherence to the Word of 
God, and in profound earnestness — 
while in simplicity, directness of ap- 
peal, and originality it is superior. 
It is a great matter to send such a 
work, so full of Christ, all over the 
churches, where it may, by the work 
of the Spirit, arrest the careless and 
move the ungodly. — Lutheran Ob- 
server, 

GOD'S WAY OF SALVATION. 

By Alexander Marshall. A 
brief statement of the Way of Life, 
with answers to popular objections. 
Each brief page complete in itself, 
and containing a sermon in a nut- 
shell 05 

Per hundred $2 50 

DOUBTS REMOVED. ByC^SAR 
Malan, D, D. Paper covers. 05 
Per dozen 50 

**It contains the clearest state- 
ments and illustrations on the sub- 
ject treated we have ever read." 

WELCOME TO JESUS. By Rev. 
C. H. Spurgeon. a series of 4 
page tracts, with first page in at- 
tractive, illuminated designs, etc., 
etc. 2 Scries. 
Package of 32. 25 



POPULAR DEVOTIONAL BOOKS. 



CHRISTIAN'S SECRET OF A 
HAPPY LIFE (THE). By Han- 
nah Whitall Smith, author of 
**A Happy Life." Revised edition 
from entirely new plates. In addi- 
tion to the matter in previous edi- 
tions is an essay upon "Bondage 
AND Liberty,'' by the same author, 
which has never before appeared in 
book form. i2mo, 240 pp., cloth, 

black and gold stamp $1 00 

Paper cover 50 

A book we unhesitatingly recom- 
mend. We have not for years read 
a book with more delight and profit. 
— Southwestern Christian Advo- 
cate, 

We are delighted with the book. 
It reaches the very core of Christian 
experience. — Baptist Weekly, 

Worthy of universal circulation. 
— Christian Union, 

CHRIST AND THE SCRIPT- 
URES. By Rev. Adolph Saphir. 

Cloth, i6mo, neat 75 

To all disciples of Jesus this work 
commends itself at once by its grasp 
of truth, its insight, the life in it, 
and its spiritual force. — Christian 
Work, 

"In these days of doubt and hyper- 
criticism such a volume, breathing a 
spirit of earnest devotion, lifting the 
mind to a better conception of the 
immeasurable worth of the Person 
and the Word, and written, too, by 
a son of Israel, cannot but be wel- 
come and helpful." 

HOLY LIFE (THE). A book for 
Christians seeking the **Rest of 
Faith." By Rev. Evan H. Hop- 
kins. Fifth thousand, i8mo, 115 
pages, cloth, beveled edge. ... 75 

WALKING WORTHY OF GOD. 

A reprint from the works of Rev. 
John Flavell, with an introduc- 
tion by (and published at the request 
of) Maj. D. W. Whittle. A valu- 
able book for circulation — an incent- 
ive to Christian living. Sq. i6mo, 
PP- 43 15 



GEMS FROM NORTHFIELD. 

A Record of the Best Thoughts ex- 
changed at the Conference for Bible 
Study, convened at Northfield by D. 
L. Moody. i2mo, pp. 216. 

Price $100 

The thoughts and expositions of 
Scripture which are presented in 
this volume are of rare practical 
value. — Herald and Presbyter. 

MY MORNING WORD. A book 
of texts for every day in the year. 

Cloth 75 

Morocco, gilt $1 75 

The several texts for every day 
each contain the "Morning Word," 
this single word being the key-word 
by means of which the texts are 
called to mind. 

BIRTHDAY MEMORIAL TEXT 
BOOK. A handsome little volume 
with a short text for every day in 
the year, with blank space opposite 
for autographs. Especially attract- 
ive for children. 32mo, cloth, black 

and gold stamp 25 

Per dozen $2 50 

LIFE, WARFARE AND VIC- 
TORY. By Major D. W. Whit- 
tle. Cloth, neat, 124 pp 60 

Paper 30 

This book has been prepared in 
the midst of evangelistic work, to 
meet the wish often expressed to the 
writer — that instruction given in 
Bible readings to young converts 
might be made available for their 
more careful study and permanent 
use. — Extract from Preface, 

PRACTICE OF THE PRES- 
ENCE OF GOD (THE). By 

"Brother Law^rence." Being a 
small collection of remarkable letters 
and ^'conversations" of a Monk. 
Pp. 64, 24mo, paper cover. . . 10 
Per dozen 75 

GRACE SUFFICIENT. By Rev. 
Hknry Poissy. An extremely help- 
ful work for the closet. Pp. 265. 
Cloth ... I 50 



MISCELLANEOUS, 



RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY 
MOOREHOUSE, Evangelist. By 
George C. Needham. 

Mr. Moorehouse, the young En- 
glish evangelist, was well-known 
throughout this country, and the 
volume is a most interesting bio- 
graphical sketch of this remarkable 
man — a real inspiration. 
Pp.240, i6mo, cloth, bev5led.$i 00 

PLAIN TALKS ABOUT THE 
THEATER. By Rev. Herrick 
Johnson, D. D. Fifth thousand. 

Pp. 84, cloth 50 

Paper 20 

Probably the modern theater nev- 
er received such a raking fire. — 
Zton''s Herald. 

As crushing as a charge of cav- 
alry, and as convincing as logic can 
make truth. A terrific indictment 
of the theater. — The Adiance. 

SONGS FOR THE SERVICE 
OF PRAYER. Compiled by R. 
S. Thain, assisted by A. E. Kitt- 
redge, D. D., E. p. Goodwin, D. 
D., and W. M. Lawrence, D. D. 
A book specially adapted for use in 
the social meetings of the church. 

Cloth, pp. 240 60 

Special terms to churches for intro- 
duction. 

FRED'S DARK DAYS. By Rose 
Hartwick TuoRrE. A story of 
heroism in boyhood, written in an 
attractive style by the author of 
*'Curfew Must not Ring To-night," 
and *'The Yule Log." An excel- 
lent book for the young. 
Pp. 139, cloth 75 

MAX CHRISTIANS DANCE? 

By Rev. J. II. Brookes, D. D. 

Pp. 144, i6mo, cloth 50 

Paper covers ... 25 

An able and wholesome consider- 
ation of the question from a Chris- 
tian point of view. — Zioit^s Herald. 



FIFTY YEARS AND BEYOND ; 

or, Old Age and How to Enjoy It. 
Compiled by Rev. S. G. Lathrop. 
Tenth thousand. 
One large i2mo volume of over 

400 pages $1 00 

Presentation ed'n, gilt edges. . i 50 

The object of this volume is to 
give to that great army who are fast 
hastening toward the "great be- 
yond'' some practical hints and helps 
as to the best way to make the most 
of the remainder of the life that 
now is, and to give comfort and help 
as to the life that is to come. 

REVELL'S RECORD for Church 
Treasurers. The most convenient 
record yet published. Weekly en- 
velope system. Simple, practical 
and systematic. 
Bound in half leather, quarto. $1 50 

THE MAN-TRAPS OF THE 
CITY. By Rev. Thos. E. Green. 

CONTENTS: 

The Streets and Their Story. 

The Tiger and His Den. 

Cups of Flame. 

Stepping-stones to Vice. 

Chambers of Death. 

Embezzlement. 

The Devil's Printing Press. 

A book of timely warnings, where 
sin and crime are shorn of their 
mask. The life of the profligate is 
not presented in attractive colors, 
but in such a way as to stand forth 
in its true light — a thing to be ab- 
horred. 
140 pages, cloth, rich gold stamp 75 
Same in illuminated paper covers 50 

WOMAN'S MINISTRY, and Oth- 
er Expository addresses. By Mrs, 
George C. Needham. 

137 pp., i6mo, cloth 75 

The first expository address gives 
character to this book. It is liter- 
ally an expositio7i bearing on the 
question of woman's relation to 
preaching and teaching. 



F. H. REVELL, 




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